For many years Charles V. had felt sure that his life would not be a long one; but his hope was that the Queen, who had good health, would survive him and would be guardian to the children, her brother, Louis de Bourbon--called “the good Duke Louis”--being always at hand to help her. After the irreparable calamity of her death, and finding his own health rapidly breaking up, he did what he could for his children by making the Duc de Bourbon guardian to the young King and his brother, and by preventing the Duc d’Anjou, who, as the eldest of his brothers, had to be regent, from having more power than he could help. The Ducs de Berry and Bourgogne were also joined in the government of the country and the young princes. With many misgivings he entreated them to carry out his directions and to bring up the King properly; nearly his last words to them on the subject having been, “_Soignez-le, mes frères, et prenez grande attention de le bien former à la royauté, car l’enfant est jeune et de l’esprit léger_.”[96]
Those princes did nothing of the kind. It is true that the Princess Catherine was given into the sole charge of her grandmother, the old Duchesse de Bourbon, who since the Queen’s death had lived a saintly life at the convent of St. Marcel; but Charles and Louis were brought up together at the hôtel St. Paul in an atmosphere of flattery, folly, and corruption, which was eventually fatal to them both. The three brothers of the late King were eager to secure for themselves all the power and wealth they could seize, and would not listen to the Duc de Bourbon, who, as personal guardian only, and not a brother of the late King, had less power and could not oppose them. The lives led by the two boys were what in our own days would be called fast for a man ten years older, and eventually resulted in the madness of Charles and the death of Louis. The aim of their uncles was to keep them ignorant, so that the reins of government might remain as long as possible in their own hands. In this they only partly succeeded, as Louis was very clever and fond of study, but Charles hated books, application, or restraint of any kind. They both rode well and were good at all sorts of games and sports, and the people, who had respected Charles V. and adored Jeanne de Bourbon, now bestowed all their affection on their young King, who was called Charles le Bien-Aimé. To the end of his unfortunate career he never lost either this name or the affection of his people, for although he was hot-tempered and imperious, so that he would never bear the slightest opposition, he was brave, open-handed, kind-hearted, and had those free, pleasant, courteous manners that go farther in gaining friends--everywhere, but most especially amongst the lower classes--than a host of benefits and virtues. He was very faithful and affectionate to his friends, never forgot the names of the humblest people,[97] but was always polite and ready to talk to any one about anything.[98] And amidst the roughness and cruelty of the times it is interesting to come upon the note of a sum paid to _Colin le serrurier_ for an iron _fleur-de-lis_ to hang upon a stag, which had been hunted by the King, had taken refuge in a stable at Choisy, and had been allowed by him to return to the forest--an example of mercy which might well be placed before many people in the present day who ought to be civilised enough not to require it.