Burgundy was minded to grant her leave, but at a
meeting of the chiefs of the guild of butchers this afternoon they
resolved to refuse the request; and this evening they have broken every
door and window of the Duke of Berri's house, and committed great damages
there, so that it should not be habitable; they resolved that Berri should
not enter Paris, but that the queen might come. I hear that it has been
determined that the king shall be placed in the Louvre, where the citizens
of Paris can keep guard over him and prevent any attempt by the Orleanists
to carry him away.
"All this will make no difference to your mistress directly; the point of
it is that the power of these butchers, with whom go the guild of skinners
and others, is so increasing that even the Duke of Burgundy is forced to
give in to them. Some of the other guilds and the greater part of the
respectable traders are wholly opposed to these men. They themselves may
care little whether Orleans or Burgundy sways the court and the king, but
this usurpation of the butchers, who have behind them the scum of Paris,
is regarded as a danger to the whole city, and the feeling may grow into
so hot a rage that there may be serious rioting in the streets. I tell you
this that you may be prepared. Assuredly the butchers are not likely to
interfere with any save such of the townspeople as they may deem hostile
to them, and no harm would intentionally be done to her or to any other
hostage of Burgundy.
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