\ The duke, at his death, had no child, nor had the duchefs, his wife, any expe&ations of one.* He had a brother ' by his father's fide, called the earl of Montfort, then living, and who had married the fifter of earl Lewis of Flanders. The duke had alfo another brother-german by father and mother, who was dead, but had left a daughter, whom her uncle, the* duke, had married to the lord Charles of Blóis, youngeft fon of Guy earl of Blois, by the fifter of king Philip of France, then xeigning, and had promifed her, on her marriage, the duchy of Britanny after his deceafe, though, at the time, he was4 doubtful if the earl of Montfort would not claim it, as being neareft of kindred, though " he was not properly his brothergerman. It feemed to the duke, that the daughter of his brother-german ought, by reafon of her proximity, to have the duchy after his death, in preference to thè earl of Montfort, his brother. And as he had lonç' had his fufpicions that the earl of Montfort would,' after his deceafe, enforce his claim, to the prejudice of his young niece, with all his power, he had married her to the lord Charles of Blois, with the intent that, the king of France, his unclç, might more powerfully aflfft him in preferving his rights, ihould the earl of Montfort attempt to encroach on them.1 I As foon as the earl of Montfort knew of the death of the duke, his brother, he fet off dirêâtly for the city of Nantes, which is the capital.of Brittany, and exerted himfelf fo much among,the cits zeus, and the inhabitants of the-neighbourhood* that