ìx '* clearly appear from the treaties which have been made and completed until this very day of my lf again being awakened. " Now* you who read, have read, or (hall read *e this hiftory, confider in your own minds- how I could have known, and collected the fa&s of which *c I treat, concerning fo many different parties. In *c truth, I muft inform you that I began my collec* *c tions at the early age of twenty years, and came into the world at the time thefe events were paffc* ing, in the knowledge of which i have always f C taken greater pleaftire than in any thing elfe. *c God has been fo gracious to me, that I was well *6 with all parties, and of the houfehold of kings ; · {f mpre efpecially of king Edward s and his noble " queen's, the lady Phftippa of Hainault, queen of *i England, lady of Ireland and of Acquitaine, to €f whom in my youth I was fecretary, and amufed her with gallant ditties and madrigals of love ; " through affeâion to that noble and puiflant lady " to whom I belonged, all the other great lords, dukes, e#rls, barons, and knights, of whatever u nation they might be, loved me, faw me with *e pjeafure, and were of the greateil fervice to me. " Thus, under the protection of this good lady, and at her coft, as well as at the expence of great f6 lords, I have fearched in my time the greater part " of dhriftendom (in truth who feeks will find) ; " and wherever I came, I -made inquiry after fuch " ancient knights and fquires as had been prefent at " thefe deeds of arms, and fuch as were well en abled to fpeak of them. I fought alfo for heraldq " of «