That day petitions
and complaints were sent to the king by the provosts of the merchants, the
gold and silver smiths, the cloth merchants, the carpenters and others,
complaining of the tumults caused by the butchers and their allies, and
especially of the attack without cause or reason upon the house of Maitre
Leroux, the worshipful provost of the silversmiths. Several skirmishes
occurred in the evening between the two parties, but an order was issued
in the name of the king to the Maire and syndics of Paris rebuking them
for allowing such disturbances and tumults, and ordering them to keep a
portion of the burgher guard always under arms, and to repress such
disturbances, and severely punish those taking part in them.
Maitre Leroux and his wife paid a formal visit to Dame Margaret early in
the day to thank her for the assistance that her retainers had given in
defending the house.
"You were good enough to say, madame," the silversmith said, "that you
regretted the trouble that your stay here gave us. We assured you then,
and truly, that the trouble was as nothing, and that we felt your presence
as an honour; now you see it has turned out more. Little did we think when
you came here but a few days since that your coming would be the means of
preserving our lives and property, yet so it has been, for assuredly if it
had not been for your esquire and brave retainers we should have been
murdered last night.
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