m his rear. The prince liftened to this counfel the more, becaufe his lady the princéfs, being far gone with child, was melancholy and forrowful at the thoughts of his abfeuce. He was defirous to wait until {he fhpuld be brought to bed, as fhe wifhed to detain him. During this time he was colie&ing great quantities pf purveyances of all kinds ; and well he had need to do fo, for he was about to enter a country where he would find little enough. Whilft he remained at Bourdeaux, the prince and his council held many confutations together. It feems to me, that the lord d'Albret and his thoufand lances were counter-manded, and that the prince, by the advice of his council, wrote to him in fuch terms as thefe : $ My lord cPAlbret, whereas, out of our liberal bounty, we have retained you with a thoufand lances, to ferve under us in the expedition which, through the grace of God, we intend fpeedily to undertake, and briefly to finifli ; having duly con-fidered the bufinefs, and the cofts and expenfes We are at, as well for thofe who have entered into our fervice as for the free companies, whofe number is fo great that we do not wilh to leave them behind, for fear of the dangers which may happen, we have re-folved that feveral of our vaffals Ihould remain, in order fo guard the territories. For thefe caufes, it has been determined in our. council, that you fhall ferve in* this expedition with two hundred lances only, as has been written to you. You will choofe them out from the reft ; and the remainder you will leave tp follow their ufual occupations. May „ S 4 ' " God i6j