devoted to the curse of Heaven." Thomas de Marle, Lord of Couci, had
been_ committing cruel ravages upon the town and church of Laon, lands
and inhabitants; when "Louis, summoned by their complaints, repaired to
Laon, and there, on the advice of the bishops and grandees, and
especially of Raoul, the illustrious Count of Vermandois, the most
powerful, after the king, of the lords in this part of the country, he
determined to go and attack the castle of Couci, and so went back to his
own camp. The people whom he had sent to explore the spot reported that
the approach to the castle was very difficult, and in truth impossible.
Many urged the king to change his purpose in the matter; but he cried,
'Nay, what we resolved on at Laon stands: I would not hold back
therefrom, though it were to save my life. The king's majesty would be
vilified, if I were to fly before this scoundrel.' Forthwith, in spite
of his corpulence, and with admirable ardor, he pushed on with his troops
through ravines and roads encumbered with forests. . . . Thomas, made
prisoner and mortally wounded, was brought to King Louis, and by his
order removed to Laon, to the almost universal satisfaction of his own
folk and ours. Next day, his lands were sold for the benefit of the
public treasury, his ponds were broken up, and King Louis, sparing the
country because he had the lord of it at his disposal, took the road back
to Laon, and afterwards returned in triumph to Paris."

Sometimes, when the people, and their habitual protectors, the bishops,
invoked his aid, Louis would carry his arms beyond his own dominions, by
sole right of justice and kingship. It is known," says Suger, "that
kings have long hands." In 1121, the Bishop of Clermont-Ferrand made a
complaint to the king against William VI., Count of Auvergne, who had
taken possession of the town, and even of the episcopal church, and was
exercising therein "unbridled tyranny." The king, who never lost a
moment when there was a question of helping the Church, took up with