ils his high birth and gentility. It fell out ju£ & I had imagined. I told this my intention to my very renowned lord the count de Blois, and alfo the journey I wifhed to undertake, who gave me letters of re-commendation to the count de Foix. I began my journey* inquiring on all fides for news, and, through the grace of God, continued it, without peril or hurt, until I arrived at the count's refidence, at Orthés in Beam, on St Catherine's day in the year of grace 1388. The count de Foix, as foon as he faw me, gave me a hearty welcome, adding, with a smile and in good French, that he was well ac-quainted with me, though he had never feen me before, but he had frequently heard me fpoken of. He retained me in his houfehold, and, by means of the letters which I had brought, gave me full liberty to act as I pleafed as long as I fhould wifh to remain with him. I there learnt the greater part of thofe events which had hap* pened in the kingdoms of Caftille, Portugal, Navarre, Arragon, even in England, in the Bour. bonnois, and every thing concerning the whole of Gafcony : he himfelf, when I put any quef^ tion to him, anfwered it moft readily, faying, that the hiftory I was employed on would in times to come be more fought after than any other y € because/ added he, * my fair fir, more gallant deeds of arms have been performed within thefe laft fifty years, and more won-derful things have happened, than for three hundred years before/ I was