"What minstrel is that?" said Antoire de Born; "or is he only one of your fellows, whom you have dis tinguished by that title from his eminence in rustic song? The exclamation of the peasant had so engrossed the attention of his companions, they began so eagerly and rapidly to discourse of the talents and accomplishments of their former acquaintance, that it was not till he had repeated the question several times the he could learn that this Hely was a young man of the val ley, who had begun the practice of minstrelsy several years before, and had obtained inuch reputation and wealth by the beauty of his tales, and the skill with which he told them. "He will hear it all from himself," cried la jolie Jeanne, "for I see Hely, on his faithful ass, coming at a distance along the plain. I know him by the manner of his riding; and then his dress is the same as that of these masters." Almost a yell of happiness arose from the peasantry; and they hurried down to the plain to welcome Hely. He was received in his native wilds with rude hospitality. All the inhabitants of the hamlets flock ed around him, eager to hear of the adventures he had met with, and to relate the changes which time had effected among them. André, a venerable old man, the father of Hely, appeared prominent in the crowd, honoured on his own account, but yet more honoured in his son. "This night," he said, "shall be to me a night of mirth, for the return of my son." A general invitation was given to the feast; and André went to make preparations for it. "Meanwhile, we shall go to the minstrels on the hill," cried a female voice, and numbers of the peasantry again ascended towards them. Hely had descried from afar the crowd around them, and he was told of all the occurrences of the morning. He wondered at the tale. Minstrels were seldom to be found so far from lordly castles and ladies' bower, and he was determined if possible to discover the cause of their seclusion. The times were troublesome, and he thought there might be other reasons than those they had chosen to assign. The exultations had now

ceased, and Hely, who had felt a momentary glow of enthusiasm, resumed the cold and suspicious demeanour that distinguished him. Many journeys he had made-many traditions he had heard of various realms of Christendom. His mind was enriched by tales of Greece, akin to those of classic times, that lingered there, notwithstanding the insolence of Paynim usurpation, and the degradation of the inhabitants. These he had learned from a Greek exile, who, fleeing disconsolate from his native land, delighted to speak of its marvels; and Hely, well acquainted with the elements of Italian romance, had often traced a similarity between them and the romaunts of the opposite shore. Could I tell all that the minstrel knew, his powers of melody, and all that he had seen, it would be acknowledged that he was no vulgar proficient in his art. Of old, men gifted highly with the power of song were not unfrequently supposed to have the ability of foretelling the events of futurity. This gave them an air of me lancholy, and diminished the lightheartedness of the minstrels, even of those regions whose legends were of the gayest description. I do not know that Hely was ever imagined to have the gift of prophecy; but it was not seldom remarked, that, while his chansons were those of rejoicing, his appearance was not that of one whose recollections could be supposed the most congenial to such poetry. There was a gloom in his look; often an extraordinary absence in his manner. Dark deeds we know were imputed to him; but to what extent, and with what truth, cannot be ascertained. For all memorials of his life, except this single tradition, have perished in the religious wars that desolated, in the next century, this portion of his native land. On that day Hely appeared more suspicious than usual. He spoke of tradition. He listened to the minstrels of the hill; but he often cast a piercing glance at each of them, as if to be able to recognise them again. Once, however, but only once, a dispute was likely to arise. He told the story of his life, the Lords who had honoured him, and whose praises he had sung. "Well did I love," he

said, "Jacques de Coeur, the King's Financier. He was a right good friend to me. The Comte de Dam martin, who presided at his trial, is suffering for his injustice; and we shall see if he will behave as honourably as my Lord, who was slain at Rhodes, fighting gallantly against the Infidels, and the accursed Mahound." "Hold there, friend!" cried Geoffrey de Ventadour; "Jacques de Cœur was a churl; and I, who long attended about the person of the Comte de Dammartin, can testify, that there is not a more valiant nor noble Lord in this whole kingdom of France. I shall always be ready to speak in his praise. It was the custom of minstrels of old to defend their Lords, and they were well rewarded for doing so. Geof frey Rudelh gained the favour of Geoffrey, the brother of Cœur de Lion, by exalting the merits of his patron and I have heard a tradition, that when the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa composed those verses, in the ancient Provençal tongue, which are still extant, pane gyrizing the minstrelsy of Provence, he was chiefly pleased by the ardour with which its poets celebrated the Count of Thoulouse, his friend, and their master." A look from de Born silenced Geoffrey; but the king of the minstrels had some difficulty in appeasing the quarrel.

Hely, however, was treated more kindly than he had expected. In ancient Fabliaux, he had read of the contests of minstrels, and the hatred between different companies of them. Being alone, he had almost looked for bad treatment on this occasion, and he was therefore surprised at the present they made to him, though he accepted it unwillingly A scarlet robe and ten francs were not always bestowed on him, even by the greatest Lords of France. The liberality of the minstrels was applauded at the festivities of the evening; but Hely maintained, with regard to them, a mysterious silence.

This minstrel had visited the valley in the course of his journey from Provence to Gascony. On the death of Charles VII., Lewis XI. who succeeded him in the throne of

France, had by his conduct excited, among the highest nobles of the realm, a violent opposition to his government. In consequence of this, a formidable league was, not long after, formed against him, which it required all his political talents to overcome. Meanwhile, the nobles either engaged in petty acts of rebellion, or organized measures for the contest in which they had determined to engage. Among the Gascon nobles, who delighted in those schemes of civil.commotion, the Lord D’Albreth was pre-eminent. His ancestors, in the time of King John, had adhered to the English, when, under Edward III., they obtained possession of Acquitaine: and thougly in the reign of Charles V. the head of the family had been reconciled to the French, a remarkable attachment to the feudal independence of the nobility had ever since distinguished the Lords of Albreth. The present Lord inheriting these sentiments was violently opposed to the plans of Louis XI., and despised his person. He was storing his castle with provisions and ammunition, and secretly gaining as many as possible to his views. To conceal these from his Sovereign, he endeavoured to persuade the world that his mind was entirely occupied with the pleasures of the chace, and the duties of a magnificent hospitality. And if any one, by such an excuse, were likely to lull the suspicions of the King of France, it was the Lord d'Albreth. He was well known to love antiquity, and to encourage every thing conceived in imitation of it. By Louis XI. this partiality might be regarded with dislike, or with scorn; but it endeared the name of this Lord to all Knights, Squires, and Minstrels; and his character was revered over the whole of Provence.

The espousals of his sister had lately taken place to a neighbouring Lord, renowned for his love of chivalry. Great festivities were held on this occasion. During the day

"There was al maner thyng That fell to a kynges weddyng, And mony a ryme Minstral.” The forests rang with the horn and cries of the hunters; and when the

chase was done, the hall of the castle was crowded with Lords and Knights: the feasts and revelry began, the stewards and serving-men, and vassals of the host, officiated right gladly before the guests; and while each one told of the encounters he had been engaged in, and his dangers, now regarding with pleasure the ancient armour that hung around him, and now enjoying the splendour of the scene, forming a strange contrast to the rude masonry of the ancient hall, the sound of minstrelsy arose to enliven the hearts of the martial assemblage. But there was one day on which there was to be a larger meeting of the surrounding nobility; and many minstrels were expected to attend. Greater rewards were promised to those who should, and, on this invitation, numerous rhymers from the surrounding provinces journeyed to the Chateau d'Albreth. One of them was Hely, who immediately left Provence, in which he had for some time resided, and hastening to Gascony, had arrived at the valley of Germigny.

The day succeeding that on which Hely had arrived had scarcely dawned when he resumed his journey. On the fourth evening he reached the village that lay around the Chateau d'Albreth. That night the grand festival was to be held. Every one was engrossed by it; and those of the vassalage who had not joined in the amusements of the day, were occupied in preparing for the reception of the knights and minstrels. Froissart, the most delightful of chroniclers, has recorded, in lively colours, the ceremonies that on occasion of festivity were held at Ortez, the residence of the gallant Count Gaston of Foix. His example the Lord d'Albreth followed; and the only book, or rather fragment of a book, in his chamber, was the portion of the Chronicles of Sir John

Froissart that describes his stay at Ortez.

The minstrel alighted at the sign of the Star, and had scarce arrayed himself in his finest dress, when the bell of the castle rang. It was a joyous sound to all, announcing that the banquet was preparing, and the guests were expected. Immediately, as of old at Ortez, all the knights, squires, minstrels, and others who were to partake of the feast, and had not chambers in the castle, left their hotels, and proceeded gaily to the hall, adorned with more than its accustomed splendour. The Lord d'Albreth, and his knights, were ready to receive them; and as that Lord conducted into his chamber the knight whom he thought the most celebrated, so each of the rest led those whom he honoured most into his, till the feast in the hall should be laid out for the guests. The trumpet soon gave the welcome information. The dais・ was filled. Every countenance was glad; and the Lord d'Albreth looked proudly on the assembled chivalry of Gascony. Ah! who should not then have rejoiced?

"And certes if it n'ere too long to here, I wolde have tolde you fully the manere ; But all this thing I moste as now forbere, I have, God wot, a large field to ere, And weke ben the oxen in my plow : The remenant of my tale is long ynow." The minstrels were in the full tide of song; all were attentive to the lays they told, and to those of Hely especially, the most skilful minstrel in the hall. One of the squires of the Lord d'Albreth entered, and informed him that a strange knight, from the kingdom of Navarre, on his way to fight against the infidels, was in the court below, and desirous if possible, to see the Lord of the castle in his own chamber. "Never does the true Lord leave the sound of revelry, even to hear the commands of his Sovereign. But lead the

"Le

VOL. XVIII.

Dimonville, the former of whom was surprised at not finding the minstrel. "Ah! I expected he should have been here, but it matters not, for he could not have remained. Now, good squire, we are alone, and you may inform me of the object of your visit." The squire made a low obeisance. "My name is Voyault Dimonville, a faithful vassal of the Count de Dammartin, and here is my token." So saying, he presented a ring, which he drew from his breast. "It is a good token," said the Lord d'Albreth." Louis de Souliers, who was here some evenings ago, and has accompanied your Lord into his solitude, informed me of your coming, desiring me at the same time to give trust only to him who should bear this ring. But come, inform me of the success you have had in your adventures for your master's interest." "I shall, my Lord, most willingly. When I arrived at Rheims, I found many of the Chiefs, Lords, and Princes of France, assembled to witness the approaching ceremony of the monarch's coronation. But to few of them did I venture to apply, lest they might be tempted to procure favour at court by disclosing the place of my Lord's concealment, or have some cause of hatred of him, or desire of his downfal. But the Lord of Charlus, his nephew, a favourite both of the Duke of Burgundy and the Duke of Bourbon, interested himself in the fate of his uncle; and one evening, when these princes had retired disgusted from an entertainment of the King, M. de Charlus obtained me an audience from them." "From the Dukes of Burgundy and Bourbon," said d'Albreth, two of the most excellent Peers of France, Ah, Dimonville! tell me particularly every circumstance that passed during your audience: but what had become of the Count of Charlolois ?" He was not present, my Lord, though I expected him; and I have since been informed, that, had he been there, refuge in Burgundy would at once have been offered to my master. But Duke Philip, though not so decided, received me handsomely. When the Duke of Bourbon had presented to him the letters of the Count, he enquired about him with much kind

ness-where he was, in what condition, and what his intentions were. Then I told him every thing in his situation I thought the most important, or the most likely to excite pity. He approved of his scheme for concealing himself, along with the most faithful of his domestics, disguised as minstrels; but thus, he said, he shall not long remain, for this man will not reign in peace. The Duke of Burgundy then retired, and he of Bourbon renewing his promises of good will and assistance, ordered me to return as quickly as I could to my master-direct him to provide for his present safety-and, at the same time, assure him of a speedy improvement in his fortunes. I have travelled night and day to this castle, where I was told by my Lady, at the castle of Farqeau, I should have tidings of the Count." "You have well spoken," said d'Albreth to the squire; "and now, since your Lord is in a place of security, and as I mean a few days hence to visit him in his retreat, you shall remain with me till that time; and during my leisure you may recount to me the ceremonies and pageants you witnessed at Rheims." Voyault was about to decline the invitation; but the Lord d'Albreth insisted upon it so earnestly, that he was forced to yield. "Meanwhile," said the nobleman, " after your long journey, you have need of refreshment.' They retired together, and when Hely believed they had crossed the gallery, he speedily left the tapestry, and retired to his own chamber. There he occupied himself in preparing for his departure. All the entreaties of the Lord d'Albreth could not alter his purpose; and when he had received a munificent largess, he departed in peace.

竿

A tempest swept the valley of Germigny, and the momentary glances of the moon-beam were scarcely sufficient to direct a troop of cavalry hurriedly advancing along the plain. They were Scottish archers, belonging to the body-guard of the French Monarch. "Ho, minstrel!" cried the captain; "where is the hiding-place of these traitors? Of a truth we shall soon put an end to their