82 HISTORY OF FRANCE. [chap. to the bishopric, a lad of eighteen, who spent his time and wealth in dissipation. The men of Li^ge drove him out, and set up a commonwealth, formed an alliance with their neighbours at Dinant, and, trusting to French pro- tection, attacked the Burgundian territories. But Lewis gave them no help, and Charles of Charolois marched against them. Li(fge made what was called the " Piteous Peace," with Duke and Bishop. Dinant was given up to the most utter destrugtion ; the city was burned, the men were slain, and the women and children tied in pairs and driven out stripped of everything. This dreadful deed was the last public act of the reign of Philip the Good, who died in 1467, after having built up a mighty powei out of small fragments, chiefly by his brilliant court, open hand, and popular manners. 41. The Meeting at Peronne, 1468. — The only son of Duke Philip, Charles the Bold, who now succeeded him, was, in some points, a man of higher qualities than his father, but less skilful in the art of managing men. He was strict in his own life, just in his home government, but cold and stern, harsh in his military discipline, and full of ambitious schemes. He had been on terms of friendship with the king while the latter had been in exile ; but there was distrust beneath, and he continued in alliance with the Dukes of Berri and Britanny. With the object of detaching him from them, Lewis desired to have a meeting with him at his city of Pdronne, where Charles then was with his whole splendid army, among whom, with a very small escort and short notice, Lewis arrived, trusting to his own adroitness and the simplicity of Charles ; but at that very time Lidge suddenly broke out into a violent revolt, seized the bishop, killed some of his canons, and defied the duke. There was no doubt that this was the secret work of Lewis, though he had reckoned on the outbreak not taking place till he was out of the clutches of Burgundy. He had outwitted himself. Charles was frightfully enraged, and, though he had given the king a safe-conduct, he could not resolve on foregoing the advantages of having such an enemy in his hands. After keeping him for some days a prisoner in his lodgings, he brouglit him a treaty, to which he was forced to swear, binding him to aid Charles in subduing Lidge, to sanction his alliance with England, to give Champagne and l^rie to the Duke of Borri, give up all the cities in dispute, ann to cxcn^pt the courts of Flanders from any right of appeal
