dez quatorze de mes meilleures citez que j'aye je le vous donneray puis que le vous ai promis, ja ne plaise à notre Seigneur Jesus Christ, que à l'encontre de ma promisse le vueille aller, car mieux aimerois que l'un de mes poings fut coupé tout jusque je fisse une faute, ne qu'à l'encontre de mon serment voulisse aller, et pour ce demandez seurement et aurez votre demande que ja ne serez refusé." Then Huon demanded, first, pardon for himself, and for all his who might have offended. "Sire, autre chose je ne vous demande.' The emperor replied, "Pelerin, n'en faites doute quelconque n'avoir ce que vous ay promis des maintenant je le vous octroye; mais je vous suplie tres-humblement que dire me vueillez quel homme vous etes et de quel pais et de quel lignages que tel don m'avez requis à avoir. Sire," said Huon, "je suis celui qui souloit estre le Duc de Bordeaux, que tant avez hay, maintenant je viens d'outre mer, où j'ay mainte peine soufferte et grande pauvreté, la merci de nostre Seigneur Jesus Christ, j'ay tant fait que je suis revenu et que vers vous suis accordé, et si j'auray ma femme et mes hommes que vous tenez prisoniers et toutes mes terres si votre promesse me voulez tenir." When the emperor heard Huon of Bordeaux, his colour instantly changed, and for a long time he was deprived of utterance: at length he spoke. "Ha وو Huon de Bordeaux, estes vous celui par qui j'ay tant souffert de maux et de dommages, qui mes neveux et mes hommes avez occis; pas je ne sçay penser comment avez esté si hardi de vous avoir montré devant moi, ne estre venu en ma presence, bien m'avez surpris et enchanté: car mieux aimasse avoir perdu quatre de mes meilleures citez, et que tout mon pays fut ars et bruslé, et avec ce du tout mon pays je fusse banny trois ans, qu'icy devant moi vous fussiez trouvé mais puisque ainsi est que je suis surpris de vous, sçachez de verité que ce que je vous ay promis et juré, je le vous tiendray et des maintenant pour l'honneur de la passion de Jesus Christ et du bon jour où à present sommes par lequel il fut crucifié et mis à mort vous pardonne toute rancune et mal talent, j'a à Dieu ne plaise qu'en soye tenu parjure vostre femme, vos terres, et vos hommes des maintenant je vous rends et mets en vostre main, et en parle qui en voudra parler, ja autre chose n'en sera faite, ne jamais au contraire ne voudray aller." Then 66 the duke Huon threw himself on his knees before the emperor, and besought him to forgive the injury which he had done to him. "Huon," said the emperor, "Dieu le vous vueille pardonner; quant à moi, de bon cœur je le vous pardonne." Then the emperor took him by the hand, and gave him the kiss of peace. Sire," said Huon of Bordeaux, "grandement ai trouvé en vous grande grace quand de promesse ne m'avez failly: mais s'il plaist à notre Seigneur Jesus Christ le guerdon vous en sera rendu au double.' The history then relates, how the prisoners were released, and after a splendid entertainment, how the emperor accompanied Huon and his train on their journey to his estates at Bordeaux. The Monk of Ramsay' has left a picture of an accomplished knight among the Anglo-Saxons, in the following description of one of Edgar's favourites: "His innate discretion, his noble faith, and approved vigour of body in warlike affairs, had obtained from the king much dignity and favour. He was distinguished for religion at home, and for the exercise of his strength and use of military discipline abroad. He adorned the nobility which he derived from his birth by the grace of his manners: he was of a cheerful and pleasing countenance, of great gravity of mien, of courteous and fluent conversation. He was mild and sincere in his words, in the discharge of his duty impartial, in his affections discreet, with a heart resembling his face, constant in good faith, steady and devout, in council advising what was right, ending disputes by the equity of his judgments, revering the divine love in others, and persuading them to cultivate it." Of Baldwin, the good count of Flanders, we have the following description: Il avoit tousjours la crainte de Dieu devant ses yeux, qu'estoit la cause que jamais il ne commençoit rien que preallablement il n'eust invoqué son nom très-sainct. hantoit merveilleusement volontiers les eglises, et ne passoit jour qu'il ne frequentast avec tout respect et diligence le service divin, sy avant toutesfois que les affaires plus urgents de son dommaine le luy permettoyent. Car il sçavoit que mesmes en l'expedition d'iceux il faisoit œuvre meritoir et tres agreable à Dieu." 992 George Chastellain thus sums up the character of Philip the Good: "N'avoit nulz serments en bouche, ne nulz vilz mots en usage, nulles injures envers autruy, ne d'autruy honte ramentevance: des bons parloit par faveur, et des mauvais par compassion; traistable estoit et débonnaire à servir; oncques, je cuide, menterie ne lui partit des lèvres ; et estoit son scel sa bouche, et son dire léal comme or fin; lui mesme estoit la perle des vaillans, et l'estoile de chevalerie ne oncques peur ne lui entra en reine. Estoit courtois à tous hommes; affable aux tous petits et aux grands, et aux femmes surtout; tousjours estoit un en manière, tel au vespre comme au matin; non meu pour joye ne pour effroy troublé; constant en tout envoy de fortune, et asseur en tout péril; servoit Dieu et le craignoit, fort dévot à Nostre-Dame, observoit jeunes ordinaires; donnoit grandes aumosnes et en secret. Recueilloit estrangers et les honnoroit, et en toultes nations fist les largesses; par diverses villes se communiquoit avec les bourgeois; reclinoit en leurs maisons recreant; humain en tous lieux, et en tous cas bénigne et doux. Repudioit par argu en son derrain la noble et saincte dame sa femme, saincte chrestienne et dévote et chaste, grande aumosniere-dont je remetz à Dieu la cause. Son dehors apparoit tout bon; son dedans prend en divin œil et Dieu seul en peut juger et cognoistre. Ses claires singulières vertus ont esté données par singulière grâce; dont après les avoir conférées à tel homme, et à si grant nombre quant au corps, pitié seroit si l'ame en avoit carente par abus en ce monde ; non plaise à Dieu." life Of Charles the Bold, in his youth, he says, "Estoit ce sembloit né en fer tant l'aimoit." He was of pure from the fear of God, "et estoit seigneur de soi-mesme. Naturellement il estoit léal et entier homme; veritable et ferme en son dire: aimoit honneur et craignoit Dieu." His admirable address to Charles the Bold is inserted in the 241st chapter of his chronicle. "Vertu prend son mouvement en Dieu; et au lieu dont elle meut, elle corone sa fin. Dieu doncques la guide et la gouverne, et Dieu a l'œil tousjours sur elle qui de vertu use. Requiers ly de son amour et dispose à sa grace." What a lively portrait of Frederic I., of his person and his manners, is given by Rodericus!" His complexion, always ruddy with youthful health, often became deeply coloured through modesty, and not through anger. Bellorum amator, sed ut per eo pax acquiratur. He was prompt in action, firm in council, open to compassion, and propitious to all who trusted in him. If you inquire his daily habits; before light, either alone or with a very small company, he used to go into the churches, and meet priests, whom he respected with such care that he furnished an example to all Italy of preserving honour and reverence for bishops and clerks. In hunting, whether with horses or dogs, or hawks or other birds, he was second to no one. In shooting with the bow, he drew the string and let fly the arrow; choose what he shall hit, he hits what you choose. He was not stern and full of threats to his domestics, nor did he disdain to admit them to his council. He diligently examined the Scriptures and the deeds of the ancients he distributed alms largely with his own hand." This was that bold lion, as Henry de Blois styles him, whose majestic countenance and mighty arm had deterred wild beasts from destroying, had subdued rebels, had brought adventurers to peace, who, after binding together Germany and Italy, intimidating its Northern and Sclavonian princes, and extending his renown over the East, came in the end to kiss the feet of the Pope, and to take up his cross in defence of Christendom. Let us not pass over in silence the piety of two of our early kings, Edward the Confessor, and Henry VI. The Confessor was pious, merciful, and good, the father of the poor and the protector of the weak, more willing to give than to receive, and better pleased to pardon than to punish. "King Henry," says Grafton, "which rayned at this time, was a man of a meek spirit and of a simple witte, preferring peace before war, rest before businesse, honestie before profite, and quietness before labour and to the intente that men might perceive that there could be none more chaste, more meek, more holye, nor a better creature, in him raigned shamefacedness, modestie, integritie and pacience to be marveylled at, taking and suffering all losses, chaunces, displeasures, and such worldly torments, in good parte and wyth a pacient manner, as though they had chaunced by his own faulte or negligent oversight. He gaped not for honour, nor thirsted for riches, : but studied onlye for the health of his soule, the saving whereof he esteemed to be the greatest wisdome, and the losse therof the extremest folie that could be." 66 Pacyence was so radicate in his harte," says Hall, "that of all the injuries to him committed, which was no small number, he never asked vengeance nor punishment, but for that rendered to Almighty God his Creator hearty thanks, thinking that by this trouble and adversitie his sinnes were to him forgotten and forgiven. What shall I say, that this good, this gentle, this meek, this sober and wise man did declare and affirm, that those mischiefs and miseries partly came to him for his own offence, and partly for the hepyng of sin upon sin wretchedly by his auncestors and forefathers, wherefore he little or nothing esteemed or in any wyse did torment or macerate himself, whatsoever dignity, what honour, what state of life, what child, what friend, he had lossed or missed; but if it did but sound an offence towards God he looked on that, and not without repentance both mourned and sorrowed for it. This king Henry was of a liberal mind, and especially to such as loved good learning, and them whom he saw profit in any virtuous science he heartily favoured and embraced, wherefore he first holp his own young scholars to atteyn its discipline, and for them he founded a solempne schole at Eton, a toune next unto Wyndsore, in the which he had established an honest college of sad priests with a grete number of children, which bee there of his cost frankely and freely taught the rudiments and rules of grammar. Besides this, he edifyed a princely college in the Universitie of Cambridge, called the Kynges College, for the further erudition of such as were brought up at Eton, which at this day," says Hall, so flourisheth in all kyndes as well of literature as of tongues, that above all other it is worthy to be called the Prince of Colleges." The advice of the Dame Terrail to her son the Chevalier Bayard is another striking instance. The young page was already mounted on his little horse in the castle-court, accompanied by his good uncle the Bishop of Grenoble, who was to conduct him to Chamberri; his father had bestowed his blessing, and all the youth of the castle were taking affectionate leave of their companion. "La povre dame de mere estoit en une tour du chasteau, qui tendre |