Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/514

 478 Readings in European History Arduous life of Charles the Bold. and quiet. . . . From the time Duke Charles undertook his war to recover the towns in Picardy (which our master had redeemed from Duke Philip), and joined himself with the lords of the kingdom in the war called the Public Good, what pleasure, what tranquillity had he ? He had continual trouble and labor, without the least cessation or refreshment, either to his body or mind ; for ambition got entire posses- sion of his heart and constantly spurred him on to attempt new conquests. He was always in the field during summer, exposing his person to the greatest danger, taking the care and command of the whole army upon himself; and yet he thought his work too little. He was the first that rose and the last that went to bed in the camp; and he slept in his clothes, like the poorest foot soldier in the army. In winter, when the campaign was over, he was busily employed about raising money ; six hours every morning he set apart for conferences, and for giving audience to ambassadors. And in this per- petual hurry of affairs he ended his days, and was killed by the Swiss in the battle of Nancy; so that it cannot be said that he enjoyed one happy day from the time of his begin- ning to aggrandize himself to the hour of his death. And then what were the fruits of all his pains and labor? Or what necessity was there of his so doing? since he was a rich prince, and already had towns and territories large enough to have made him happy, if he could have been contented with them. How the Swiss defeated Charles the Bold at Granson (1476). All hopes of an accommodation with the Swiss being entirely vanished, their ambassadors returned to acquaint their masters with the duke of Burgundy's absolute refusal of their propositions, and to make preparations for their defense. The duke marched with his army into the Pays de Vaud, which the Swiss had taken from the Count of Romont, and he took three or four towns belonging to Monsieur de Chateau-Guyon, which the Swiss had seized upon but defended very ill. From thence he advanced to besiege a place called Granson (which also belonged to