who ww brother to the late count. He received the lord James and his company with great joyf and feafted them in the beft manner he was able. The two nephews of the lord James de Bourbon were at home ; he prefented them to him, who received them very gracioufly, and ordered them to be potted near his perfon, that they might aid to defend their country. The free companies were advancing towards this neighbourhood ; for thofe who were at Chalons • upon the Stone and near to Tournus tf and in that fertile country, having heard that the French were aifembling an army to fight with them, their captains called a council, to determine what fteps they ihould take. They made a mutter of their troops, and found they amounted, one with another, to ftxteen thoufand combatants*. They then refolved to go and meet the French, who Were fo defirous of it, and to offer them battle, in fuch ûtuations only as would be for their advantage, but upon no other terms* * If fortune,' faid they, 1 fhould be favor-able to us, we may ail be rich, and at our eafe for * long rime, as well by the valuable prifoners we {hall make, as from the fear we excite ; for no more troops will be hardy enough to come againft us : but, if we lofe the battle, we fhall have hard blows for pur .pay/ This refçlution was adopted : -ihey brok? up their camp, and marched towards the mountains • Chalons,—an ancient town in Burgundy, twenty-nine leagues from Lyon. - t Tournus,—an ancient town of Burgundy, on the Saône» in the road from Lyon to Dijon. in • 77