m- tale of his heaith, were not, in afty way, permitted to have their will, nor was their advice followed. So much was faid againft thefe two* that the loïd de la Riviere and fir John le Mercier were removed from the Louvre and delivered over to the provoft. of the Châtelet, and confined in the caftle of St. Anthony, under the guard of the vif-count d'Achy, at that time the governor. On this removal, though the common report ran that they were to be put to death, in truth they were never condemned j nor could thofe by whom they had been examined, ever in their confeiences find them guilty of death. They were, however* daily at-tacked by fome, who faid, Take heed to your fouls, for your bodies are already difpofed of : you are both condemned to have your heads cut off.' In this diftrefllng ftate they were kept for fome time 5 bye the bègue de Villaines, a great knight and valiant man at arms, from the country of Beauce,- inculpated in the fame accufations, had many friends, who pleaded effectually in his favour, and he was freed from prifon with a full acquittal. On his leaving the prifon, he was told by his re-lations, fir Barrois des Barres and others, to pre-pare to fet out for Caftille, where in future he muft refide, on the handfome inheritance he gained by his marriage with the countefs de Ribadéo. He followed the advice that had been given him, and fpeedily packed up all he wanted, and fet out for Caftille, leaving his two friends in prifon, and in daily peril of lofing their lives. All the pro-perty, moveable and immoveable, of fir John le VOL. XL E ^ Mercier,