the fon of John de Beam, a young and courte-ous squire, whom he greatly loves/ c Holy Mary ! exclaimed I, f fince the duke of Anjou was fo defirous to gain Lourde, he ought to be well pleafed with the count de Foix, who could murder a knight and his coufm, to accomplifli the duke's wishes/ f By my faith, he was foj'for foon after the event of his ne-phew coming to the crown of France, he fent fir Roger d'Efpaign and a prefident of the parliament of Paris, with fair letters patent en-groffed and fealed, of the king's declaration that he gave him the county of Bigorre during his life, but that it was neceffary he fhould become liege man and hold it of the crown of France. "« The count de Foix was very thankful to the king for this mark of his affection, and for the. gift of Bigorre, which wasunfolicited on his part ; but, for any thing fir Roger d'Efpaign could fay or do, he woulcj never accept it. Her only retained the caftle of Malvoifm, becaufe it was free land, and the caftle and its dependen-cies held of none but God, and formerly had been part of his patrimony, ' The king of France, to please the duke of Anjou gave it to the count de Foix 3 but the count fwore he would only hold it on condition never to admit into it any one ill inclined to France ; and in truth he, had it well guarded. The garrifon of Malvoifm would. have been as much afraid of the Englifh as any othec French or Gafcon garrifon, but they dared not invade the territories of Foix/ I was - 180