well as thofe from the principal towns in Acquitaine, were fummoned to a council on this tax. This parliament was held at Niort ; when the bifhop of Rhodez, chancellor of Acquitaine, in the prefence of the prince, explained folly the nature of this tax, in what manner it was to be levied, and that the p'ripce had not any intentions to continue it longer than for five years, or until he fhould have fatisfied the large debt which had been caufed by the Spanifh expedition. The deputies from Poitou, Saintonge, Limoufm, Rouergue and la Rochelle were agree-able to this impofirion, provided the prince would keep his coin to the fame ftandard for feven years.: but it was refufed by thofe from the upper parts of Gafcony, namely, the earl • of Armagnac, the lord d'Albret his nephew, the earl of Comminges, the vifcount of Carmain, the lord de la Barde, the lord de Cande, the lord de Pincornet, and feveral great barons from the counties, cities and good towns under their jurifdi&ion, faying, that€ in former times, when they were under the vaffalage of the king of France, they were not oppreffed by any tax, fubfidy, impofition or gabelle, and that they never would fubmit to any fuch oppreflion fo long as they could defend themfelves : that their lands and lordfhips were free from all duties, and that the prince had fworn to maintain them in this ftate. Neverthelefs, in order to leave the parliament of the prince in an amicable manner, they declared, they would, when returned to their own country, confider this bufinefs more fully | and that they would confult feveral prelates, bifhops, abbots, twons 34«