This inftance," fays the candid Author of Hiftoire du Patriotifme François," " of the "good-humour and generofity, in the true spirit "of chivalry, in Edward, must affect every one

very much, as it makes that Monarch appear in "his natural character. If his rage and indig "nation at the delay of the furrender of Calais (6 to him, had not for an inftant put a violence upon his difpofition, his crown of pearls would have been for Euftache de St. Pierre, or Jean "de Vienne."

EDWARD THE BLACK PRINCE.

" EDWARD, Prince of Wales," fays Montagne, "that English Prince who governed "Guienne for fo long a time, a perfonage whose "condition and whofe fertune had always fome "distinguished points of grandeur, having been "very much offended by the inhabitants of the "city of Limoges, and taking the town by storm, "could not be wrought upon by the cries of the "people, of the women and of the children, given "upto slaughter,imploring his mercy, and throwing

themselves at his feet, till proceeding farther in

<< the

the town, he perceived three French Gentlemen, who with an incredible degree of courage * were alone fuftaining the shock of his victorious army. His confideration and refpect of fuch diftinguished valour immediately blunted the edge of his refentment, and he began, hy granting the lives of thofe three perfons, to fpare the lives of all thofe that were in the town." Froflart has preferved the names of thefe three brave men. "They were," fays he, "Meffieurs Jehan de Villemur, Hugues de la Roche, and Roger de Beaufort, fon of the Count de "Beaufort, Captains of the town. When they faw," adds the Chronicler, "the mifery and the deftruction that was preffing upon themfelves and their people, they faid, We fhall be all dead men, if we do not defend ourfelves; let us then fell our lives dearly, as true Cheva"liers ought to do; and thefe three French Gen

tlemen did many feats at arms. When the "Prince in his car came to the spot where they

were, he obferved them with great pleasure, and became foftened and appeafed by their extraordinary acts of valour. The three French Gentlemen, after having fought thus valiantly, fixing their eyes upon their fwords, faid with one voice to the Prince and the Duke of Lancaster, My Lords, "we are yours; you have conquered us; difpofe

" of

By

"of us according to the law of arms. "Heaven, replied the Duke of Lancaster, we have no other intention, Meffire Jehan, and we take you as our prifoners. And fo," adds Froiffart," "thefe noble Chevaliers were taken, as I have "been informed." Livre i. c. 289.

"The most common method," fays Montagne, "to foften the hearts of thofe whom we have

offended, is, when they have the power to re"venge themselves in their hands, by feeing us "at their mercy, to move them by our fub"miffion to pity and commiferation. Sometimes, "however, bravery, conftancy, and refolution, though directly contrary methods, have pro "duced the fame effect.”

66

JOHN,

KING OF FRANCE.

"THIS Prince," fays an old French Chronicler very strongly, "vendit fa propre chair en l'encam, fold his own flesh by auction. For, in order to eafe "his fubjects from fome taxes he was obliged to im "pofe upon them to pay his own ranifom, having been

** taken

LOUIS IX.

CALLED ST. LOUIS.

THIS pious Prince, on his return from his fatal expedition to the Holy Land, built an hofpital for three hundred of his Nobility, whofe eyes the Saracens had put out. To him France was indebted for the first public library it poffeffed after the reign of Charlemagne. He was extremely pleased with the converfation of men of learning, and particularly with that of the celebrated St. Thomas Aquinas, whom he admitted to his table, and whofe abfences and diftractions of mind he forgave with the greatest good-humour *.

A Lady of quality once appearing before Louis, to folicit fome favour of him, in a dress too juvenile for her years, the good Monarch faid to her, "Madam, I will take care of your fuit, if you

* St. Thomas, one day admitted to that honour, fat filent for fome time; at last he exclaimed, striking his hands upon the table, "This argument against the Mani"chæans is irrefragable." The courtiers were shocked, and St. Thomas, on recollecting where he was, begged pardon of his Sovereign. Louis very politely defired him to repeat it, and ordered one of his Secretaries to put it in writing as he was proceeding with it.

"will take care of your fituation. Your beauty "once made a great noise in this kingdom, but "it is paffed like a flower in the field. It is in "vain that you endeavour to bring it back again; you had much better attend to the beauty of the “mind, which never fades."

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS.

THIS extraordinary perfon, like many men. of great talents, fhewed in his early youth none of that liveliness and vivacity of difpofition which is but too often mistaken for quick parts. He was called by his companions "Le bœuf muet;" but his master, Albert the Great, more capable of diftinguishing, used to fay of him to those who gave him that odious appellation: "Les doctes mugissemens

de ce boeuf retentiroient un jour dans l'Univers."

St. Thomas poffeffing an ardent mind, devoted it to the studies then in vogue, fcholaftic philofophy and theology: in the latter, indeed, he was fo eminently fuccessful, that Bucer faid of him: “ Tolle Thomam, et Ecclefiam Romam fubverterem : "Take away St. Thomas, and I will effect the downfall of the Romish Church."