4 I will teM you,' anfwered the archbifhop* € You are much indebted to Bertaldo of Mech-lin, who is at prefent the richeft merchant in the world, from the great commerce he -carries on with all parts of it by fea and land. • His galleys and veffels fail as far as Alexandria, Cairo and Damafcus, with cargoes of the value of one hundred thoufand florins : he alfo has a mortgage. on the greater part of your lands. Bertaldo has one daughter now. of an age to marry, and no other children. Several great barons of Germany and other countries have demanded her in marriage, but, I know not why, unfuccefsfully : he may perhaps fear fome as being too high, and others he may hold cheap : I therefore advife you to treat with Ber-taldo, who may liften to you, and give you his daughter, that you may clear yourfelf of all your debts, and regain poffeffion of your lands ; for I fhould fuppofe, from your birth and in confideration of your having your poffeffions, be-tween the Meufe and'the Rhine, fo well filled with populous towns, he will comply with your requeft.* ' tf By my faith, uncle,' replied the count,c you ' advife me well, and I will follow what you have faid/ % Count Reginald, fhortly after, fummoned thofe of his friends in whom he had the greateft confidence and affection, and declared to them his intentions of marrying the daughter of Ber-taldo of Mechlin. He requeued them to go thither and demand her, and he would make her countefs of Gueldres, on fuch conditions as the E 2 archbifhop Al