Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/54

 Readings in European Histoiy 233. How the Good Chevalier chose the profession of arms. sign himself, was probably no high-born noble, as was Joinville, but a faithful squire and secretary. The life of the chevalier opens as follows : In the country of Dauphiny which is now held by the king of France, — as it has been by his predecessors for many years, ever since the dauphin Humbert, who was the last of his race, gave it to them, — there are a number of good and great families of nobles, from which so many doughty and virtuous knights have gone forth that the fame of them has spread abroad throughout all Christendom. As scarlet surpasses all other colors, even so the chevaliers of Dauphiny, without slight to the nobility of any other region, are called by all those who know them the scarlet among the gentlemen of France. Among these families is that of Bayard, of ancient and noble extraction, as those who have sprung from it have abundantly proved ; for at the battle of Poitiers the great-great-grandfather of the Good Chevalier without fear and without reproach died at the feet of King John of France ; at Cre'cy his great- grandfather perished ; at Montlhery his grandfather was left on the field of battle with six mortal wounds, not count- ing his other injuries ; and at Guinegate his father was so sore wounded that he was never afterwards able to leave his house, where he died at the age of eighty. A few days before his death, seeing that his strength was so failing him that he could not long remain in this mortal life, he called to him his four children in the presence of his wife, — a very pious lady, wholly devoted to God, the sister of the bishop of Grenoble, of the family of Aleman. His children being gathered about him he asked the eldest, who was eighteen or twenty years old, what he wished to be. The youth replied that he never wished to leave his father's house, which he would serve to the end of his days. " Very well, George," replied the father ; " since you love the house, you shall stay here and fight the bears." The second boy, who was the Good Chevalier without fear and without reproach, was then asked what career he