our only difficulty in endeavouring to collect a series of curious facts is one of choice amidst a multitude of instances. For, descending a few degrees from the throne, we find ourselves having to do with a nobility which dedicated itself by tradition and by taste to all bodily exercises, and, in short, bestowed more care in developing physical strength than in cultivating intellect. The Maréchal de Tavannes (1509-1573); in his memoirs shows us the youth of his time competing with each other most keenly in leaping, running, and throwing the bar. And this was not from want of occupation, as one would at first be tempted to believe. For gentlemen, peace was not always an interval of idleness, but rather a pause between two campaigns, which the most prudent turned to good account in perfecting themselves in the trade of war, and in accustoming themselves to dangers to which they might be subjected in the future. "They employed their time," says this general, " in leaping, wrestling, and in sham fights, familiarising themselves with perils in peace that they might not fear them in war." The end which they proposed to themselves was not so much to increase their bodily strength as to render themselves inaccessible to fear. Those who neglected this preparation for camp life had often cause to repent it. Entering the army without training, they were easily beaten, as the French were formerly by the Italians, and as the Italians now are by the French."

They followed the example of the Turks, who being in the habit of striking upon each other's bucklers, acquired great strength in the arms. From the development of the body to which the Turks attained, arose, without doubt, the proverb, "As strong as a Turk." Western nations, in order to get their hands used to it, practised the game of

quintaine or quintain, which consisted in running at and striking an artificial head, made of wood or pasteboard. It was thus that they strengthened their arms; "for," says the Maréchal de Tavannes, "it is by their arms that they acquire and defend kingdoms." That it was thus that the strength of man was increased by daily exercises, Froissart explains to us in his curious chronicles.

In the south of France lived a rich, powerful, and great noble, always surrounded by a numerous following of knights, squires, and pages. Froissart was for some time his guest. His disposition was far from being mild, as was proved by his conduct towards his young son, detailed by the historian. The Comte de Foix lived in the country of Béarn throughout the winter, which is there very rigorous, without a fire, or with only a very small one, with which his court were by no means satisfied. However, on Christmas Day, 1388, having after dinner ascended into his gallery, which was reached by a great staircase of four-and-twenty steps, he looked at the fire, then burning very low, and complained of it to those who stood around him. "It is only right to say," says Froissart, "that it was freezing very hard that day, and was exceedingly cold." "What a miserable fire for this time of the year," exclaimed the count. One of the lords in attendance heard and paid special attention to the count's complaint. This was no other than Ernaulton of Spain, who a short time before had done marvels at the siege of Lourdes, striking down with his hatchet all who came within his reach, and leaving dead upon the field every one whom he struck. says the gossiping Froissart, means burdened with flesh."

"For he was a long tall man," "big in his limbs and by no Ernaulton had seen from the

windows of the gallery, which looked down upon the court,

G

a number of asses that had arrived laden with wood for the service of the castle. To seize the largest of these quadrupeds, wooden burden and all, to swing them lightly upon his shoulders, to mount the stairs, and, breaking through the crowd of knights that surrounded the fire-place, to tumble into the hearth upon the fire-dogs both the wood and the ass, the latter with his feet in the air, was for Ernaulton the work of a few seconds. The coup de force was wonderful; and the stroke of wit of tumbling the ass as well as the wood into the fire was wonderful, too, in its own way. The feat was almost as great as that of Milo of Croton, who carried an ox on his shoulders into the stage of Olympia. Both the host and his guests made great rejoicing over it, and "marvelled at the strength of the squire, who without any help had lifted such a great burden, and carried it up the stairs."

But that which was only a means of amusement during peace became a most useful expedient in the time of war. If, instead of the ass, a two-footed animal "without feathers were thus caught up and carried off, without being the object of such rude humour as that of Ernaulton, the action might be one of the greatest importance.

"Come hither," said the Marquis of Pescare, Governor of the Duchy of Milan for the Emperor Charles V., to a servant named Lupon, "I wish to be accurately informed of the state of the French army. Make your way to the enemy's camp, and try if you can learn anything." Lupon was, as we learn from Paul Jove, quoted by Simon Goulart in his "Trésor d'Histoires Admirables" (1610), “A man so vigorous and light of foot that, with a sheep upon his shoulders, he could distance any competitor who tried to race with him," Lupon thought long of what he should do;