er to thé borders of the kingdom. Of this I have acquitted myfelf loyally and faithfully, which if neceffary to prove, I can readily do fo from him-felf. It is alfo true, that on our road we vifited the countefs de St. Pol at Luzieuz, who received us very kindly. « ' While there, the following con-verfation pafled : The lady afkëd fir Piers, if he were contented with the lords of France, and what he thought of the country ? The knight courteoufly replied, * Madam, the ftate of France is rich, extenfive and plentiful. With refpeâ to its lords, I am perfectly fatisfied with the recep-tion and entertainments I have had from them, excepting one thing. I have put myfelf to very great expenfe in my preparations and journey to Paris, to perform a deed of arms, but, when ar-rived there, found none willing to accept* of my challenge.* My lords, when I heard this fpeech before fuch a lady as the countefs of St. Pol, fifter to the king of England, my blood boiled within me j but, with much difficulty I kept filence, becaufe you had entrufted him to my care and prote&ion ; and I never gave hint the leaft caufe -to fufpeft I was any way hurt by what he had faid, fo long as we continued together in France. But true it is, that when we were about to feparate on the borders of the country of Guïnes, I reminded him of his expreffions to the countefs de St. Pol, which, I faid, were neither civil nor honourable, as he feemed to wifh it to be underftood, that the chivalry of France was much debafed that he could not meet with any 90 ,