blished themselves in their new domain of Bavay, a few leagues distant from Valenciennes.

Respecting William de Mauny, the father of him whose history is to form the principal matter for the following pages, little more is known than what it will be necessary here to mention, for the sake of developing the early disposition of his son.

At a tournament held in the town of Cambrai, where there were no less than five-hundred Knights present, happening to be engaged in single combat with a Seigneur of Gascony, he had the misfortune to slay him by an accidental thrust of his lance.

The Church had always set its face against combats of this nature; and to add to de Mauny's ill-luck on the present occasion, this Gascon Seigneur chanced to be nearly related to the Bishop in whose diocese the tournament was held; and who, irritated at an action which he chose to consider in the light of a murder, determined to bring the offender to justice; and, for that purpose, issued a mandate, citing him to appear before the Court of Judicature as an assassin.

But de Mauny, perhaps aware that he had no chance of obtaining fair play in a Court, where, in addition to being plaintiff, the Bishop was also the sole Judge; peremptorily refused to obey the summons; so that the former having no other means of enforcing obedience, laid siege to the château of Bavay, in which de Mauny, having collected all his numerous retainers around him, shut himself up, and bid defiance to the

enemy.

The fortress of Bavay being one of the strongest in Hainault, successfully resisted, for a length of time, all the efforts which were made to reduce it; but, at last, de Mauny falling sick, and being no longer able to encourage his vassals by example, the enemy made nearer approaches than they had before been able to effect; their battering rams had nearly produced a breach in the wall, and it was feared they would shortly be in a condition to enter the town.

De Mauny had a son of about twenty years of age, whom he ardently desired to see at the head of his vassals, and who would, he thought, well have supplied his own place; but to the most earnest

supplications of his father, the young de Mauny had always returned an obstinate refusal; but I cannot, perhaps, make the reader better acquainted with the characters of the two persons, than by relating the conversation which took place between them.

"Art not ashamed, Gaultier?" said the old man to his son, as he one morning saw him listlessly sauntering away his time upon the perron, erected beneath an ancient elm in the court-yard, for the purpose of enabling the cavalry to mount on horseback,-" Art not ashamed of thyself-degenerate losel! thus to sit loitering away the hours, listening with as much nonchalance to the iron rams, as though each blow they gave against the bulwarks, were matter of indifference to thee; and as though, should the enemy gain footing here, thou wouldst not be included in the general ruin? Up-arise, I say! Undutious-coward boy! Gird on thine haubergeon, mount thy destrier, and face the foe!"

"No! father," replied Gaultier, who, having at the sound of his father's voice quitted his

reclining posture, approached, and stood before him with a sullen determined air of defiance."No! I am neither cowardly nor undutious, nor am I ignorant that, should the Bishop's forces enter Bavay, myself and all the town-folk will either be put to the sword, or utterly ruined. But you know the conditions. I have a vow in heaven-I may not break it."

"And what, prithee," answered de Mauny, passionately interrupting his son's speech," what is this so sacred vow in heaven, made contrary to every law of Heaven which commandeth children to reverence and obey their parents? What is't?"

"Father, you do already know it; why then ask me? Give me Emily to wife-let but that single promise pass your lips, my vow will be released; and I swear that in less that ten minutes from this time, I will have buckled on my helmet, and you shall hear my steed's hoofs clattering 'neath the arch of yonder barbican, through which I will either return welcomed by the glad shout of victory, or as a corse.

"Out on thee, recreant! By the bones of

mine ancestors, do I blush to call thee son ;thou dost almost make me fear thy mother played me false. Emily-Emily, forsooth! thinkest thou that I will ever suffer thee to mate with Emily, with a poor parentless beggar, one I know not of; of whom none knoweth any thing,—who herself knoweth not who herself is! Oft and oft have I told thee this, forbidding thee to name her to me. Henceforth, sirrah! let me hear no more of this Emily-at your peril, sir, speak to me again of this dotage!"

"But, Sire, I pray you listen: Emily"

-

-Question not my commands. My vassal, the Baron, whose too great goodness see what comes of it!-suffered this Emily to be baptised with his lady's name, will shortly match her with some groom or other varlet of his household;she is a bird of too low a flight to mix with us."

"Match her with some groom or varlet!" said Gaultier, as the blood mounted to his cheek, -"Match Emily-my Emily-to a groom!She would do honor, sir, to the diadem of our Sovereign's Lady, the Countess of Hainault."