"I am so fond of the kingdom," said he, "that I would make six of it in France." He was passionately eager for the title of king.

He had put out feelers for it in the direction of Germany, and the emperor, Frederic III., had promised it to him together with that of vicar-general of the empire, on condition that his daughter, Mary of Burgundy, married Duke Maximilian, Frederic's son.

Having been unsuccessful on the Rhine, Charles turned once more towards the Thames, and made alliance with Edward IV., King of England, with a view of renewing the English invasion of France, flattering himself, of course, that he would profit by it.

To destroy the work of Joan of Arc and Charles VII .-- such was the design, a criminal and a shameful one for a French prince, which was checkmated by the peace of Peequigny.

Charles himself acknowledged as much when, in his wrath at this treaty, he said, "He had not sought to bring over the English into France for any need he had of them, but to enable them to recover what belonged to them;" and Louis XI.