852 JOINTILLE'S MEMOIRS OF SAINT LOUIS IX. [PT. I. loyally, than that thou shouldst rule them wickedly and reproachfully." The holy king loved troth so much, that even to the Saracens and infidels, although they were his enemies, he would never lie, nor break his word in any thing he had promised them, as shall be noticed hereafter. With regard to his food, he was extremely temperate ; for I never in my whole life heard him express a wish for any delicacies in eating or drinking, like too many rich men ; but he sat and took patiently whatever was set before him. In his conversation he was remarkably chaste ; for I never heard him, at any time, utter an indecent word, nor make use of the devil's name, which, however, is now very commonly uttered by every one, by which I firmly believe is so far from being agreeable to God, that it is highly displeasing to him. He mixed his wine with water by measure, according to the strength of it, and what it would bear. He once asked me, when at Cyprus, why I did not mix water with my wine. I answered what the physicians and surgeons had told me, that I had a large head and a cold stomach, which would not bear it But the good king replied, that they had deceived me, and advised me to add water ; for that if I did not learn to do so when young, and was to attempt it in the decline of life, the gout and other disorders, which I might have in my stomach, would greatly increase ; or, perhaps, by drinking pure wine in my old age, I should frequently intoxicate myself ; and that it was a beastly thing for an honourable man to make himself drunk. My good lord the king asked me at another time, if I should wish to be honoured in this world, and afterward to gain paradise ; to which I answered, that I should wish it were so. " Then," replied he, " be careful never knowingly to do or say any thing disgraceful, that should it become public, you may not have to blush, and be ashamed to say I have done this, or I have said that." In like manner he told me never to give the lie, or contradict rudely whatever might be said in my presence, unless it should be sinful or disgraceful to suffer it, for oftentimes contradiction causes coarse replies and harsh words, that bring on quarrels,