for they (hall all be chronicled with every thing I fay and do, if God grant me health to return % again to Valenciennes, of- which place I am a native; but I am very angry at one thing.' - * What is that ? faid the knight ; On my faith, it. is, that fo noble and valiant a prince as the count de Foix fhould not have any legal .heirs by his wife.' 'Pleafe God he had/ replied the knight ; 'for if his child were now alive, he would be the happieft lord in the world, and his vafTals be equally rejoiced.' 'What!' faid I, 'will his eftates be without an heir ?' 'Oh, no : the vifcount de Châteaubon, his coufin-german, is his heir.' 1 Is he a valiant man at armsî' 'God help him! no; and for that reafon the count de Foix cannot bear him. He will make his twobaftard-fons, who are young and hand-fome knights* his heirs, and intends to connect them very highly by marriage ; for he has money enough, which will find them wives to uphold and affift them.' 'Sir/ faid I, 'all this is very well ; but I do not think it juft nor decent that baftards fhould inherit lands,'c Why not ?' added he, c if proper heirs be wanting. Do not you fee how the Spaniards crowned for king the baf-tard don Henry ? and the Portuguefe have done the fame thing. It has frequently happened that baftards have gained pofleflion of feveral king-doms by force. Was not William the conque-ror baftard-fon of a duke ofNormandy ! He won jail England, as well as the king's daughter who then governed, and was himfelf king, and * " from .187