40S JOINVILLE'S MEMOIRS OF SAINT LOUIS IX. [FT. IL here, and I have not as yet had intelligence that yon have raised any reinforcements of knights or others." To this Sir Peter the chamberlain replied, in the name of the council,—" Sire, we have not hitherto done any thing, nor do we think we shall ever accomplish it ; for every one demands such a price, and so great pay, that we are afraid of promising to give them what they ask." The king would know to whom they had spoken, and those who had demanded such great pay. They unanimously replied, that k was I, and that I would not be satisfied with a trifle. All this I overheard, as I was in the king's apartment ; and the council had told the king these things of me, because I had advised him, contrary to their opinion, to remain, and had thus prevented their return to France. The king sent for me ; on my entrance, I cast myself on my knees before him ; when, making me rise and seat myself he said,—"Seneschal, you know full well the confidence I have in you, and how much you are beloved by me. My council, notwithstanding this, assure me, that yon are so hard to deal with, that they cannot satisfy you in regard to the pay they are willing to give you. How is ' this?" "Sire," replied I, " I know not what they may have reported to you; but in regard to myself, if I demand a good salary, I cannot avoid it ; for you know, that when I was made prisoner on the Nile, I lost every thing I had, except what was on my body, and I cannot maintain my people on a little." The king then asked, how much I would have for the support of my company until next Easter, which was nearly half a year. I answered, two thousand livres. "Now tell me," continued the king, " have you no knights here with youV" "Yes , sire, I made Sir Peter de Pontmolain remain, who is the third under my banner ; and he costs me four hundred livres." The king, then reckoning on his fingers, said, "You r knights and men-at-arms then cost you twelve hundred livres." I then said, "Consider, sire, if I must not require full eight hundred livres to equip myself with horses and armour, and to provide a table for my knights until Easter." The king then told his council