It is credible that Louis already knew the worth of the man, and wished in this way to render their reconciliation more easy.
Three years afterwards, in 1466, he restored to Dampmartin his possessions together with express marks of royal favor, and twelve years later, in 1478, in spite of certain gusts of doubt and disquietude which had passed across his mind as to Dampmartin under circumstances critical for both of them, the king wrote to him, "Sir Grand Master, I have received your letters, and I do assure you, by the faith of my body, that I am right joyous that you provided so well for your affair at Quesnoy, for one would have said that you and the rest of the old ones were no longer any good in an affair of war, and we and the rest of the young ones would have gotten the honor for ourselves.

Search, I pray you, to the very roots the case of those who would have betrayed us, and punish them so well that they shall never do you harm.

I have always told you that you have no need to ask me for leave to go and do your business, for I am sure that you would not abandon mine without having provided for everything.

Wherefore, I put myself in your hands, and you can go away without leave.

All goes well; and I am much better pleased at your holding your own so well than if you had risked a loss of two to one.