On the ensuing day, which was Saturday, the lords before mentioned again assembled at ten o’clock in the morning, at the hôtel de Neelle, where the duke of Berry resided, to hold another council. The duke of Burgundy came thither as usual, attended by the count Waleran de St Pol; but when he was about to enter the council-chamber, the duke of Berry said to him, ‘Fair nephew, do not now enter the council-chamber, for it is displeasing to all the members that you should come among them.’ On saying this, the duke of Berry re-entered the council-chamber, ordering the door to be closed, according to the resolutions of the council.
The duke of Burgundy was greatly confused at this,—and being unresolved how to proceed, said to the count de St Pol, ‘Good cousin, what should I do?’ The count replied, ‘My lord, you have only to return to your hôtel, since it is not agreeable to the lords of the council that you should sit among them.’ The duke said, ‘Good cousin, return with me, to bear me company;’ but the count answered, ‘My lord, you must excuse me; for I shall go to the council, since I have been summoned to attend it.’
After these words, the duke of Burgundy, in great fear, returned to his hôtel of Artois; and to avoid being arrested, on his arrival there, he mounted a fresh horse, and, attended by six men, hastily quitted Paris by the gate of Saint Denis,—and only changing horses, but not stopping at any place, he travelled onwards until he reached his castle of Bapaume. When he had slept some little, he again continued his route with all speed to Lille in Flanders. Those whom he had left in his hôtel at Paris followed him as speedily as they could, to avoid being imprisoned, of which they were greatly afraid.
In like manner, Rollet d’Auctonville and his accomplices changed their clothes, and disguised themselves, and escaped from Paris by different ways, and went to quarter themselves in the castle of Lens in Artois, by orders of their lord and master John duke of Burgundy.
With so mean an attendance did this duke quit Paris, after the death of the duke of Orleans, leaving the great lords of France in the utmost tribulation and distress.
When those of the household of the late duke of Orleans heard of the secret departure of the duke of Burgundy, they armed themselves, to the amount of six score, having at their head sir Clugnet de Brabant, and, mounting their horses, sallied out of Paris in pursuit of the duke of Burgundy, with the intent of putting him to death, could they overtake him. The king of Sicily, learning their intentions, sent after to forbid them executing their plan,—on which they returned, very indignant, to their hôtels.