They soon came to the place where the groom was waiting. Bertrand jumped upon the best of the two horses, saying to the young man, "My son, carry my compliments back to your father; tell him I shall go into France to serve under the Duke of Normandy, and as to yourself, if anybody reproaches you on my account, fear nothing; come to me, and you shall have arms and horses, as many as you wish."

He rode off, reached Guingamp that night, and was received by the inhabitants as a deliverer. They were suffering much sorrow and hunger from the English foragers, who were living in all the neighbouring castles, sallying forth night and day, robbing the farmers and travellers, and often shutting them up in dungeons until they had paid a ransom. Still Bertrand wanted very much to go forward, for other English parties were doing still more mischief nearer Paris, not suffering a boat to go up the river Seine with provisions for the city; so that the Parisians were in the greatest distress for food. But in the morning, when he rose to depart, he was rather surprised to find the gates of the town locked, and the inhabitants

At their

with the

waiting in crowds for him in the street, never ceasing their cries and entreaties till he had consented to try what he could do for them before he prosecuted his journey. head he fought for several days enemy, drove the English from Pestivien, and other castles, and then, having cleared the country for the present, he took his road to the French camp.

Charles de Blois was there, and received Du Guesclin with great joy. He had before given him a castle (called Roche d'Arien), and now he gave him a wife, the very lady who had shown such a regard for him at Dinant, Estifaine Reguenel.

It is said that on one occasion Du Guesclin was appointed to take the two young princes, sons of Charles de Blois, to the English court as hostages for the observance of a truce made with their father. Bertrand delivered them over to the Duke of Lancaster saying, "As you keep the truce so will we keep it;—as you break it, so will we." Bold words in the midst of many rude warriors who would willingly have resented them; but the Duke, as usual, interfered, and he came away unharmed.

55

CHAPTER IV.

BERTRAND DU GUESCLIN IN THE SERVICE OF THE KING OF FRANCE.

IN the year 1360, Bertrand du Guesclin went into the service of the French King, and he was now to defend his native country against the invading English, instead of taking part in a civil war. The king gave him a company of one hundred lancers, and an allowance for their expenses; and Bertrand was to choose the men, which he did, among the bravest of his friends and old playfellows at La Motte. The castle of Pontorson near the sea in Lower Normandy, was put under his care.

He had already driven the English out of a great many towns upon the Seine, setting free the navigation of the river as far as Paris, and twice he took prisoner that same Felton, who

had been his gaoler when he was a hostage. This English knight, whilst he was in captivity at Pontorson the first time, made himself acquainted with the rooms and passages of the castle, and laid a plan, in which he bribed two of the housemaids of Estifaine, Bertrand's wife, to assist, for taking it, whenever he should be set free. One night, therefore, after he was at liberty, he brought his ladders to scale the castle, as had been settled with these treacherous servants. Everybody else was asleep. Bertrand was absent; but Estifaine was living there with Juliana her husband's sister. The Englishmen had already fixed fifteen ladders against the wall, when Estifaine heard the noise, and awakened her sister-in-law who was sleeping with her. Juliana jumped up. She was a nun, and her dress was soon put on: she seized a lance and buckler and ran up to the top of the tower, tipping over all the ladders that were within her reach, either at the battlements or loopholes, and calling to the garrison to rise. Felton, finding himself discovered, would have gone home again, but met Bertrand on the way, and was made prisoner a second time.