him. Monseigneur, since I consider the thing as done, I beg you to
celebrate the nuptials as soon as possible although not without me
as you have promised me."[12]

The king, too, was interested in the matter, and wrote as follows to
Duke Philip:

"DEAR AND MUCH LOVED BROTHER:

"Some time ago my cousin of Bourbon informed me of the
negotiations for the marriage of my cousin of Charolais, your son,
to my cousin Isabella of Bourbon, his daughter, which marriage
has been deferred, as he writes me, because he does not wish to
alienate to his daughter the seignory of Château-Chinon. It is not
possible for him to do this on account of the marriage agreement
of our daughter Jeanne and my cousin of Clermont, his son, wherein
it was stipulated that Château-Chinon should go to them and their
heirs. Moreover, it cannot descend in the female line, and in
default of heirs male it must return to the crown as a true
appanage of France.

"Lest, peradventure, you may doubt the truth of this, and imagine
that the point is urged by our cousin of Bourbon simply as an
excuse for not ceding the estate, we assure you that it is true,
and was considered in arranging the alliance of our daughter so
that it is beyond the power of our cousin of Bourbon to make any
alienation or transfer of the territory at the marriage of his
daughter. We never would have permitted the marriage of our
daughter without this express settlement. With this consideration
it seems to me that you ought not to block the marriage in