that when he marries any of %his children. I fhall never interfere : he therefore need ' not trouble himfelf about mine, nor how I marry them, nor with whom, nor* when.' This was the only anfwer the Englifh had from duke Al-bert. The mafter of the -staple and his com-panionà took leave of the duke after dinner and went to Valenciennes, where they lay • that night : on the morrow they returned to Ghent. More of them I know not, but I believe they returned to England. Easter was the time, fixed for the king of France, the dukes of Burgundy, of Bourbon, the duke Albert with the duchefs his lady, the ducheffes of Burgundy and of Brabant* fir Wil-liam and fir John de Namur, to be at Courtray. The king refided in the bifhop's palace, and each lord and lady at their own hotels. You may eafily imagine, that where the king of France was and fo many of his nobles, there would alfo be the flower of his knighthood. .. The king arrived at Cambray on the Monday by dinner-time. All the nobles and ladies, hav- ' ing preceded him, went to meet him out of .his city; into which he was efcorted, and con-ducted to the palace, to the found of nu-merous trumpets and minstrels. On Monday, the contracts of marriage were figned in the prefence of the king and his nobles. The lord William was to pofless from thenceforward the county of OstreVant*, and the lady Margaret * Oftrmnt, or ifland of St Arnaud. This was formerly a part ôf tHê country of Valenciennes. Itircttmtfae borders of Flanders and Artoii.~BAtJDiwj». hi$ 377