urging him to hasten into Lyon, and desire the agent not to disburse more than eighty or a hundred francs. The steward set out directly; but he was too late to prevent the mischief: the young gentleman had already made his fairing to the amount of 800 francs!' To a man careful of his money, as the abbot was, this was rather startling intelligence. Eight hundred francs!' says he; by St Mary, he is a naughty varlet. But, quick! you know his quarters; go and find him, and tell him if he does not immediately return Laurencin what he has taken, he shall never have another sou from me.' With this message the steward returned to Lyon, but somehow, with all his seeking, he could not find his man. Bayard, in truth, had been doubting the turn which things might take, and had therefore desired his servants, if any of my Lord d'Esnay's people came to ask for him, to make every excuse to prevent their getting speech of him. So when the steward came to inquire for him, they said he was at my Lord de Ligny's. Thither he went, but did not find him. When he returned, they told him he was gone to try some horses on the other side the Rhône. In short, the steward came more than ten times without finding him; and then at last perceiving that they were making a fool of him, he returned to Esnay, and told the abbot it was lost time to seek his nephew, for he was hiding himself somewhere out of the way. "Ah,' said the abbot, "he is a bad youth, and shall repent of it; but at present he had nothing for it but to put up with what had happened, and to swallow his anger as best he could.

Meanwhile, the good knight and his companion, having got what they wanted from Laurençin, hastened away, and ordered three suits of accoutrements for each to wear over his armour. Then they went to a gentleman, who, having lately broken his leg, was desirous of selling a charger and a roadster which he had. The horses were tried, and purchased for 110 crowns, and taken to their stables, where they were well groomed. And so now the young gentlemen were both in a condition to appear handsomely in the lists.

As it chanced, they had not to wait long; for three days after, Master Claude de Vaudray opened his passage-of-arms, at which he was encountered by many gallant gentlemen of the household of King Charles. The honest old chronicler mentions some of them, and states that they severally did their best.' Young Bayard, being scarcely eighteen, and thus much younger than the rest, entered the lists among them, and there made his first essay. And a pretty rough commencement it was,' says the chronicler; for he had to do with one of the most skilful and doughty warriors in the world. Yet I know not how it was, whether it were the will of God to give him favour, or whether Master Claude de Vaudray took pleasure in him, but there was no man during the whole contest who surpassed him either on horseback or on foot. And he won the praises of the ladies of Lyon; for as

he passed along the lists, after having done his devoir, with his visor up, and blushing, the ladies honoured him by saying: "Look at this bashful stripling, he has done better than all the others!""" And he acquired so much favour with all the company, that at supper the good King Charles said to the Lord de Ligny: By the faith of my body, cousin, Bayard has made a good beginning? His lordship agreed in thinking with the king; but he slyly remarked, that the young man's uncle the abbot was not particularly well pleased, as his bounty had been too freely drawn upon in the matter of the accoutrements. But it seems the king had already heard the story, and on the mention of it now he laughed heartily, as also did all the company. So perhaps it would have been as well if the stingy abbot had been a little more liberal and gracious, as in that case the success of his nephew would have reflected some honour on himself.

After this tourney, the Lord de Ligny sent for Bayard, and told him, that since his commencement in arms had been successful, it would be well for him to go into garrison in Picardy, and there endeavour to perfect himself by further practice. Accordingly, in the course of a few days, we find him in the pleasant town of Ayre, proclaiming a tourney in his own behoof, at which prizes were to be given to the best doers-namely, a bracelet of gold and a handsome diamond, which might serve the winners as a present for their ladies.'

When the day of the tournament arrived, some six-and-forty gentlemen appeared in the lists; being divided by fair lot into two parties of three-and-twenty on each side. The trumpet sounded, and the rules of the contest were proclaimed. Bayard was first called on to present himself, and against him came a neighbour of his from Dauphiné, named Tartarin, a very stout and sufficient man-at-arms. The two ran their course at one another, and the good knight broke three lances handsomely in the fray. Then came the sword-fight, and, as before, he appears to have excelled all his confederates and competitors, and was acknowledged to have conducted himself in a manner that could not be surpassed. Upon the whole, it was agreed by all the spectators, as well as by the two judges present, that there was never seen a day of better tilting with the lance, or of more admirable fighting with the sword. And though each did well, and many better than was customary, it was universally considered that Bayard had acquitted himself more gallantly than any.

In the evening, all retired to his quarters; he having prepared a magnificent supper, at which were throngs of ladies, for all the ladies of Picardy, for ten leagues round, came to see this splendid tourney, and made great and sumptuous cheer.' And after supper there were dances and divers other entertainments,' which were gracefully kept up until an hour after midnight. Then the gentlemen retired to their quarters, one after another, conducting the ladies to their several places of repose; where, during the still

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night, they rested softly, dreaming, perchance, of gay knights in glittering and stately armour. Anyhow, it was late enough next morning before the fair dames were well awake; and they ceased not to extol marvellously the gallant youth who called the tourney, as well for his prowess as his courtesy, and seemed to think that ' a more gracious and courteous gentleman could not be found in the world.'

The divertisement of yesterday had been performed on horseback; but now, on the second day, there was to be a display of arms on foot, whereby all who despaired of having obtained the first day's prize might hope, and have a chance, to win that of the second. On this occasion, the good knight encountered a gentleman of Hainault, of much repute, called Henotin de Sucker. The manner of the contest was on this wise: They thrust with all their strength at one another over the barrier, till their lances were broken in pieces; after which they seized their battle-axes, and dealt each other such stout and furious blows that the combat seemed mortal. At length, the good knight struck his adversary such a blow over the ear as made him reel, and what was worse, fall on both knees, and then following up his attack over the barrier, he made him kiss the ground;' whereupon the judges interfered, and decided that the adversary had got enough. After these two came others, who, it seems, performed wonders with their lances,' and dealt each other heavy blows with battle-axes, until they were severally parted by the judges. And for a little tourney,' says the narrator, those who were there saw as good performance as they ever beheld in all their lives.'

When all was over, the combatants retired to their several quarters to disarm, and then betook themselves to those of the good knight, where a banquet was prepared; and the two judges and the ladies already were arrived. After supper, came the awarding of the prizes. The gentlemen experienced in arms were appealed to upon their faith, and then the ladies upon their conscience, and without favour shewn to one more than another, to declare their opinions. The result was, that ladies and gentlemen agreed that, though each had done his devoir as well as it was possible, yet, in their judgment, the good knight was best in both days; wherefore they referred it to him, as having gained the prizes, to bestow his presents where he thought fit.'

Bayard assigned the prize of the first day to his trusty friend Bellabre, and that of the second to a certain 'Captain Ďavid of Scotland,' who may, perhaps, in this nineteenth century, have some descendants not unjustly proud of the distinction. On the delivery of the prizes, neither men nor women murmured; and when they had been handed over, dancing and other graceful pastimes closed the entertainments of the day. And the ladies, it seems, never ceased praising the good knight, who was beloved in Picardy as never man was before him. 'He was there two years, says our authority abruptly, during which there were

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many tourneys and sports; in which, for the most part, he carried off the prize. And the greatest cause of his being universally beloved was, that there was not on earth a more liberal and gracious person: for, if any of his companions lost a horse, he remounted him; if he had a crown in his purse, every one shared it. Young as he was, the first thing he did when he rose was to say his prayers. He was very charitable; and no man could say he had been refused by him any request it was in his power to grant.'

In contemplating this picture of old-world recreations, do you not think, good reader, that the pursuits and pastimes then in fashion were quite as worthy and as honourable as many which we have in this 'enlightened nineteenth century?' The exercise of limb and muscle, the brave endurance of lusty blows, and the habitual cultivation of a dignified and appropriate demeanour towards equals, superiors, and ladies; all this surely was something, and served in its way to educate and drill those young dandies of the tilt-yard for the performance of athletic deeds and feats of manly enterprise. It was a wholesomer discipline of the faculties, I think, than that of flaunting through a polka, or betting on the course at Newmarket, or assembling in crowded audiences to listen to 'stump-oratory.' You are welcome to your own opinion, whatever it may be, but this, at anyrate, is mine; and having uttered it, I am again ready to go on with the history of the good knight.

Some two years after the incidents just related, the young king of France set out for the conquest of Naples, accompanied by the Lord de Ligny, who, knowing the high qualities of Bayard, took care to secure his services for the expedition. After a successful campaign, in which, we understand, Charles 'brought the pope to reason,' and conquered the kingdom of Naples, he was intercepted in his return by 60,000 fighting-men, belonging to different Italian potentates,' who thought to make him prisoner. But the king, though he had with him only about 10,000 soldiers, manfully withstood the adversary, and gained 'a glorious victory." In this enterprise, the good knight bore himself triumphantly. He had two horses killed under him, on which account the king presented him with 500 crowns; but in return, the knight presented him with a standard of horse he had taken in the pursuit, so, it will be seen, his majesty was no loser by his generosity.

Three years after this event, the king was suddenly taken ill, and died; whereupon Louis, Duke of Orleans, as his nearest heir, came to the crown of France, by the title of Louis XII. Soon after his accession, the new king attempted the recovery of the duchy of Milan, in which enterprise he succeeded; and afterwards, it seems, the French garrisons remained in Lombardy, amusing themselves with jousts, tourneys, and other knightly pastimes.

Having some time upon his hands, the good knight took occasion

to visit a noble lady, who had been married to his former master, the Duke Charles of Savoy. She was dwelling at Carignan, in Piedmont; and, being 'full of courtesy,' she received him hospitably, and treated him as a member of her family. While here, he fell in with Madame de Fluxas, an honourable lady, who had been governess of the house ever since her younger days; her husband being a respectable gentleman, who superintended the duchess's household. 'You must know,' says our authority, 'that when the good knight was page to the Duke of Savoy, this Madame de Fluxas was a young lady-in-waiting on the duchess; and as young people seek each other's company, there sprang up such a love between them, in all honour, that had they followed their inclinations, without regarding consequences, they had married.' After Bayard left the duke's service, the young lady wedded the Lord de Fluxas, 'who was rich, and took her for her good qualities,' she having, indeed, no other fortune to recommend her. She had now become celebrated for her great beauty and powers of conversation, and received the good knight most welcomely and courteously. They discoursed much of the days of their youth; and she reminded him of the credit he had acquired in the lists with Claude de Vaudray, of the tourney in which he conquered at Ayre, and of divers other honours; and altogether lauded him so highly, as to put him to the blush. After a good deal of pleasant flattery, she at length requested him to give a tourney in Carignan, in honour of the duchess; a request to which he readily acceded, saying: "Truly, since you wish it, it shall be done.'

As we have already described one tourney, and shall not have space to depict a tenth part of the others in which the good knight was engaged, we must refrain from entering into the particulars of this, and will say only that he so distinguished himself, as to get the prize he had offered restored to him, but that he modestly declined it, and it was eventually bestowed upon a gentleman who was considered second to himself. After five or six days spent in feasting at Carignan, the French gentlemen returned to their respective garrisons. The good knight also took leave of the duchess, who expressed herself extremely proud that he had been educated in her family. A more interesting leave-taking yet remained with the Lady de Fluxas, who had been his first love; and we learn that their parting was not without tears on her part, and a sad heart on his.' The Lord de Fluxas was not a jealous gentleman, nor indeed had he any occasion for evil thoughts, so far as concerned the knight without reproach; even though the mutual honourable love between Bayard and the lady lasted until death, and no year passed without their sending presents to each other.'

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Up to this point, the pursuit of arms has been with Bayard little else than a fine chivalrous exercise; but now we are approaching some of his more dangerous adventures, and shall presently behold