nrhat reafon I have deferved this treatment. My dear lord, have the goodnefs to underftand I can-not feparate myfelf from Jtheto. I am the worft and leaft among them ; and, if any of them be dik miffed, I am convinced they will all go their ways. May God keep you in his holy prote&ion i— Given,' &c. * When the prince of Wales received this anfwer, he looked upon it as a very prefumptuous one ; as did alfo fome knights from England, who were pre-fent, and of his council. The prince fliook his head, and faid in Englifh (as I was told, for at the time I was not at Bourdeaux) ; * This lord d'Albret is too great a man for my country, when he thus *wifhes to difobey the orders of my council : but, by God, it fhall not be as he thinks to have it. Let him flay behind, if he will : for we will perform* this expedition, if it pleafe God, without his thou-fand lances.' Some Englifh knights added ; * My lord, you are but little acquainted with the thoughts of thefe Gafcons, nor how vainglorious they are : they have but little love for us, nor have they had much for fome time paft. Do you not remember how arrogantly they behaved to you when king John of France was firft brought to Bourdeaux ? They then declared publicly, that it was by their means alone you had fucceeded at Poitiers, and made the king of France your prifoner. It is ap-parent that they had intended carrying things far-ther ; for you were upwards of four months nego-tiating with them before they would confent that king John fhould be carried to England, and it was firft »65