where they were to aflemble and traverfe Foix aM Beam, in a body, to crofs the Gave at Orthès.^ The inftant you leave Beam you enter the coun- # try of the Bafques*, where the king of England has large poffeflions in the archbifhoprick of Bor-deaux and bifhoprick of Bayonne. The inhabit-ants of fourfcore villages, with churches, attached to England, on hearing of this march of the French, were greatly alarmed left their country fhouid- be overrun and fpoiled, for at that time there were not any men at arms to defend it. Thofe therefore counfelled together who were of the moft influence and of the largeft properties, and determined to negotiate with the French for the ranfom of their country. They, in confequence, fent four deputies to Orthès, empowered to treat for peace. They re-lated to Ernauton du Pin, a fquire of the count de Foix, an agreeable and _ difcreet man, the caufe of their coming, and entreated him, when, in two days time, fir William and fir Walter fhouid come to Orthès, to affift them in their treaty. This Er-jiauton readily promifed ; and as they lodged with him, he aided them fo much that they were well fa-tisfied to pay two thoufand francs to fave their coun- x try from ruin. The count de Foix again enter-tained the commanders at dinner, and gave fir Wil-liam de Lignac a beautiful horfe. On the morrow, they marched to Sauveterre, and entered the coun-try of the Bafques ; and, though it had been ran- * Bafques,—a fmall country near the Pyrenees, bounded by Spain, the fea, the river Adour and Beam. fomed, W9