« he pays badly, and our companions complain much of it: -he owes us now fix months pay/ c Hç will pay you well/ replied the earl : 4 money never comes difagreeably/ On this, the fouldich left the earl, and returned to his companions, to whom he related what you have heard. ' Gentlemen/ faid the canon, * I will not defift from making an excurfion, notwithflanding what has been faid, for I fee clearly they wifti to put off all fuch attempts, They do not defire we fhould commit hoftilities, that we may not have caufe to demand our pay : but my opinion is, that we take the field/ They felected thofe who fhould form this ex* pedition, and refolved to undertake it on the morrow having their arms quite ready. * . The lord John de Ferrandé, one of the knights of the king of Portugal, who had learnt they were defirous of performing fome eaaterprife, came to them, and brought letters to the canon de Rober* 3fac. He read tbem, and found tfcat the king of Portugal forbid him to quit his quarters;. adding* that he was well informed it was through his means all thefe expeditions were thought of. The canon was much enraged at • this order* and faid to the knight,—c John, I fee plainly the king will not permit me to make any excnrfion. Now, fuppofe I remain in my hbufe, do you think that the others, who are better knights and more valiant than I, will alfo ftay at home and give up their enterprise ? Oh no, by my troth, as you will fee to-morrow 5 for they are deter- " mined 46