happy were we, when riding out in fearch of ad-ventures, wê met a rich abbot, a merchant, or a firing of mules, well laden with draperies, furs or fpices, from Montpellier, Beziers, or other places: All was our own, or at leafl ranfomed according to our will. Every day we gained ' money. ' The peafants of Auvergne and Limoufin loved us, and provided our caftle with corn, meal, baked bread, litter for our horfes, oats, hay, good _ wine, fat beeves, fheep and all forts of poultry : we lived like kings ; and when we went abroad, the ' country trembled : every thing was ours, both in going and returning. How did I and the bourg "Copane take Carlat ? and how did I and Perrot le Béarnois win Chalucet ? How did we, you and I, without other afliftance, fcale the * ftrong caftle of Marquel, that belongs to the count-dauphin ? I only kept it five days, and was paid down on a table, five thoufand francs for it, of which I gave back one thoufand, from love to the count's chil-dren. By my troth, this was a profitable and pleafant life, and I feel myfelf much reduced by felling Aloife, which was ftrong enough to refift any force that could be brought againft it ; and was * befide, at the time of my furrendering, fo plentifully ftored with provifion and other necef-faries, that it would not have needed any thing for feven years to come. . I confider myfelf, there-fore, as deceived by this count d'Armagnac : in- . deed, Olim Barbe and Perrot le Béarnois fore-» warned me that I fhould repent when too late, and 1 now 133