The Tomahawk., 1917-06-07

was Ill Ciuy udNAShI so"~A'
~ Three hundred years still fur
n Their back in the miSts Of time
king of France had given the palace
of still earlier kings to form monas-
terry for Scottish monks. The church
belonging to this foundation received
the body Of Charles the Simple for
burial after his death as a prisoner in
the great tower of Peronne, writes d.
Maxtone Graham in Country Life. The
church and it's monuments disappeared
in the revolution. All that remains to-
day of ancient masonry are the four
towers Of the castle.
Outwardly there can never have been
great changes in the surroundings and
general appearance Of PerOnne. The
city lies among the marshes Of the
Somme, a wilderness Of bOgland, deep
ening here and there into little slow
streams or widening into pale, shallow
lakes between islands covered with
coarse grass, the haunt Of seabirds. Out
Of these far-reaching tarns and mo-
rasses the broken outline Of the town
seems to emerge, long, low-lying
group Of buildings.
So Peronne has stood and watched
the ages go by, now asleep, now caught
in some desperate whirl Of war, now
for a moment forming the stage Of
some historic drama, or fighting for
life and freedom, till, as war GIBBS away
from her walls, she sinks again into
Obscurity.
Where Louis XII Was HumiIiated.
The name of Louis XII will always
be associated with the little city be-
cause it was the scene Of dark humili-
alton for the crown in 1863. The magic
pen Of Sir Walter Scott has thrown n
veil of romantic interest over the his
torical event in the pages Of "Quentin
Durward." Charles, duke of Bur
gundy, called lie Temeraire," the last
duke Of his race, possessing almost
sovereign powers and vast tracts Of
lands, allied himself openly with the
enemies of the crown, and spent his
life in one great struggle to preserve
divided kingdom. The king avoided
war with his vassal and tried diplO-
never counted for anything, but In
timid way he prided himself on a
thorough understanding of diplomacy.
TO avoid q fight he consented, in Octo-
Der, 1468, to go to PcrOnne to meet the
duke, though the city had for many
years declared for the Burgundlans
and was one Of their fOrtresses.
The king rode thither from Noyon
with whole train of mobiles and scrv-
ants, so archers Of the kings guard and
60 horsemen. On the road near the
city 200 1ancers were sent by lie Teme-
raire to receive him, headed by the
duke himself. The meeting OF these
two enemies was marked by the friend
lest courtesy. The duke prepared to
dismount to do homage, but the king
would not suffer him, and they rode
side by side talking familiarly together
the kings hand on the dukes Shout
der, to the gates of Peronne.
The royal lodging was prepared In
vast building near the gates. Some
thing ominous in the preparations
reused the kings alarm. Troops ar
rived under the command Of general
who was q personal enemy. Other
enemies were there tOo-he saw them
pass the window Of his quarters. Fear
possessed him, and he was not able to
hide it. In his panic he made q 1alse
move, and demanded to be taken into
the castle Of Peronne, where there was
only room for q few Of his attendants,
and vas thus placed in the power or
the duke. From the windows Of the
castle Louis could see the great tower
of Peronne, with it's dire memories or
the murder of king In the end the
king agreed to humiliating terms; he
promised to go forth from PerOnne TO
Liege with the duke and take VEN
geance on the Burgundian city which
had dared to defy LIE Temeraire and
to rise in rebellion. 1t was q base bar
gain, for the people Of Liege were the
kings own allies, and he had promised
his protection. The duke, with long
experience of the craftiness OF Louis
and of the profound depths OF his SUI
perstition, knew how to make the
shameful bargain secure.
The venerated emblem called the
Cross Of Victory was always carried
wherever the kings of France went. 1t
was the cross that had been sent to
Charlemagne, and was borne by him
to insure success in many battle. The
dishonorable treaty must be sworn
upon this cross, the most sacred relic in
the kingdom. It was taken from its
casket. and the false peace sealed be-
tween Louis and his captor.
Withstood a Great Siege.
Nearly sixty years later, when Fran
els I of France was fighting the EN-
peror Charles V, PerOnne withstood
successfully the efforts of the imperial
forces, who besieged the city for q