de tous les princes crestiens auquel mondict seigneur A.D. 1484.
a plus d'amour et d'affection, et a qui il desire plus
se alyer et confederer.

Item, et pour ce que, comme dict est, ledit maistre Loys a raporte a mondit seigneur l'amour et affection que le Roy a a lui en termes generaulx et sans venir a aucune declaracion de mutuelle intelligence et confederation, mon dit seigneur les a chargiez de venir devers ly pour savoir et entendre son bon plaisir et intencion sur les amitiez, intelligences et confederations que ly et mondit seigneur porront avoir ensemble, en lui declarant que mondit seigneur desire avoir avec ly toute bonne amour, intelligence, amitie et confederacion.

Et se le Roy est en voulente d'avoir avec mondit seigneur les intelligences, aliances et confederacions que messgrs, ses predecesseurs ont eu avec messgrs. les ducs Phelippe et Charles et autres predecesseurs de mondit

tues which are in his person, he is that prince of all Christian princes to whom my said lord has most love and affection, and with whom he desires most to ally and confederate himself.

Also, and because, as aforesaid is, the said master Lewis has reported to my said lord the love and affection which the king has to him in general trrms, and without coming to any declaration of mutual intelligence and confederation, my said lord has charged them to come to his presence to know and understand his good pleasure and intention upon the amities, intelligences, and confederations that he and my said lord may have together; declaring to him that my said lord desires to have with him all good love, intelligence, friendship, and confederation.

And if the king is willing to have with my said lord the intelligences, alliances, and confederations that my lords his predecessors have had with my lords the dukes Philip and Charles, and other predecessors of my said lord in

A.D. 1484. seigneur en la maison de Bourgoigne, lesdits ambassadeurs, pour et ou nom de mon dit seigneur, et en vertu du povoir qu'ilz auront sur ce, acorderont et passeront lesdites intelligences, aliances, amitiez et confederacions, et prometteront en faire despechier lectres par mondit seigneur en aiant celles du Roy, et a ceste fin porteront avec eulx la copie des lectres desdites aliances, ou ce que l'on en porra recouvrer.

Item, et se le Roy quiert ou veult avoir plus estroites aliances de mondit seigneur que les dessusdites, lesdits ambassadeurs diront que, pour la grande et singuliere amour que mondit seigneur a au roy, ilz esperent certainement qu'il se contentera de toutes telles aliances que le Roy vouldra avoir a lui, son honneur sauf. Et a ceste fin requereront avoir les articles desdites aliances requises par le Roy pour en advertir mondit seigneur, lequel, incontinent qu'il aura receu lesdits articles, les advertira de son bon

the House of Burgundy, the said ambassadors, for and in the name of my said lord, and in virtue of the power which they shall have thereto, shall accord and pass the said intelligences, alliances, amities, and confederations, and shall promise to cause letters thereof to be despatched by my said lord, on having those of the king (and to this end they shall take with them the copy of the letters of the said alliances) or that which can be obtained thereof,

Also, and if the king seeks or wishes to have more close alliances with my said lord than the aforesaid, the said ambassadors shall say that for the great and singular love which my said lord has to the king they surely hope that he will be satisfied with all such alliances as the king would have with him, saving his honour. And to this end they shall demand to have the articles of the said alliances required by the king, in order to inform my said lord thereof, who, as soon as he shall have received the said articles, will inform them of his good will and pleasure

vouloir et plaisir sur ce; et, s'ilz sont pressez plus A.D. 1484, avant, s'excuseront sur ce que mondit seigneur n'a peu precogiter lesdits articles, par quoy il ne leur en a baillie aucune autre charge que celle que cy apres est contenue, et le surplus par le bon advis du Roy.'

Item, et diront que pour ce que cely qui est vray ami ne peut comme aussi ne doit celer son secret a son ami, ilz ont charge de declairer au Roy comme a cely en qui mondit seigneur a toute confidence, l'estat et disposicion des presens affaires de mondit seigneur, qui sont telz quil sensuit. Assavoir, que du mariage de mondit seigneur et Children of de feue de tresdigne memoire madame la duchesse, que Dieu absoille, sont demeurez deux messrs. leurs enfans; assavoir, monseigneur Philippe, duc d'Austrice, de Bourgogne, &c., et madame Marguerite d'Austrice, qui, au temps dudit trespas estoient de bien petit

thereupon; and if they are further pressed, they shall excuse themselves on the ground that my said lord has not been able to consider the said articles beforehand, for which cause he has not given them any other charge thereupon than that which is hereafter contained, and the remainder by the good advice of the king.1

Also, they shall say, that as he who is a good friend cannot and ought not conceal his secret from his friend, they have charge to declare to the king, as to one in whom my said lord has entire confidence, the state and disposition of the present affairs of my said lord, which are as follows :—

To wit, that of the marriage of my said lord and the late duchess of most worthy memory, whom God pardon, there remain two children, to wit, my lord Philip, duke of Austria, of Burgundy, &c., and Madame Margaret of Austria; who at the time of the said death were very young, for even

! Sic.

Maximi

A.D. 1484. eage; car encores a ceste heure ne sont ilz eagiez, se non mondit seigneur le duc Philippe de vi. ans, et madite dame Marguerite denviron iiii. ans.

The government

of the lands

arch

duchess

Maximilian.

Que par le trespas de madicte feue dame, les regime, gouvernement et administracion, tant des perof the late sonnes diceulx messeigneurs les enfans, que de tous les pays, terres, seigneuries et autres biens demeurez belongs to delle, sont succedez a mondit seigneur le duc, et ce, tant par droit escript que par la coustume sur ce gardee et observee en tous pays, par especial esdiz pays demeurez du decez et trespas de madicte feue dame, telement et en telle maniere que a nul autre de quelque estat ou condicion quil soit, napartient soy entremectre desdis regime, gouvernement et administracion.

She be

Que oultre ce, madicte feue dame, cognoissant ce queathed to him the que dit est, aussi que lamour et benviolence que rule of her mondit seigneur a et par nature doit avoir a meschildren. disseigneurs ses enfans, est plus grande sans com

at this time they are only, my said lord duke Philip six years, and my said lady Margaret, about four years of age.

That by the death of my said late lady, the rule, government, and administration, both of the persons of my said lords the children, and of all the countries, lands, lordships, and other goods left by her, have descended to my said lord the duke, and this both by written law and by the custom hereupon kept and observed in all countries, especially in the said countries left by the decease and death of my said late lady, so and in such wise that it belongs to no other, of what estate or condition soever he be, to intermeddle with the said rule, government, and administration.

That besides this, my said late lady, knowing that which is abovesaid, and also that the love and benevolence which my said lord has and by nature ought to have to my said lords his children, is greater beyond comparison than any

et A.D. 1484.

paraison, que nul autre, a par son testament ordonnance de derreniere voulente delaissie le regime et gouvernement de mesdisseigneurs ses enfans et de leursdis pais, seigneuries et autres biens, a monditseigneur son mari, ieur pere.

Que en ensuivant ce, tous les pays demeurez de madicte feue dame, excepte Flandres, ont recongneu et receu monditseigneur, pour pere, bail et legitime administrateur des corps et biens diceulx messeigneurs ses enfans, et a lui depuis lors ont obey et encores obeissent sans contredit ou difficulte quelconque.

Et quant a ceulx de Flandres, les aucuns deulx en petit nombre, gens de petit estat, convoiteux de regir et gouverner, et par ce moiens eulx enrichir, ont par paroles mençongieres, corrupcions et autres cauteleux et indeuz moyens, trouve façon de apres le traictie fait avec le feu roy Loys' de faire avoir en leurs mains et puissance mesdisseigneurs les enfans de

other, did by her testament, and by direction of her last will, leave the rule and government of my said lords her children, and of their said countries, lordships, and other goods, to my said lord her husband, their father.

That accordingly, all the countries which belonged to my said lady, except Flanders, have acknowledged and received my said lord, for father, guardian, and lawful administrator of the bodies and goods of my said lords, his children, and since then have obeyed and still obey him without contradiction or difficulty whatsoever.

And as to those of Flanders, certain of them, few in number, men of small estate, ambitious to rule and govern, and thereby to enrich themselves, by lying words, corruptions, and other subtle and unlawful ways, found means after the treaty made with the late king Lewis,' to get into their hands and power the said children of my said lord, whom

Lewis XI. of France.