while it furniſhes an intereſting picture of domeſtic life. "One day," we are told, "Begues was in his caſtle of Belin, and beſide him ſat the beautiful Beatris. The duke kiſſed her both on the mouth and on the cheeks, and very ſweetly the ducheſs ſfimiled. In the middle of the hall ſhe ſaw her two ſons, the eldeſt of whom was Garin, and the youngeſt was named Hernaudin; their ages were reſpectively twelve years, and ten. Along with them were ſix damoiſels (gentlemen's ſons) of worth, and they were running and leaping together, and playing, and laughing, and making game. The duke looked at them, and began to ſigh; which was obſerved by the lady, who queſtioned him—Ah! rich duke! why have you ſorrowful thoughts? You have gold and ſilver in your coffers, falcons in plenty on your perches, and rich cloths, buildings, and mules, and palfreys, and baggage-horſes; and you have cruſhed all your enemies. You have no neighbour within ſix days' journey powerful enough to refuſe to come to your ſervice if you ſend for him.' 'Lady,' ſaid the duke, 'what you ſay is true; but in one thing you have made a great overſight. Wealth conſifts neither in rich cloths, nor in money, nor in buildings, nor in horſes; but it is made of kinſmen and friends: the heart of one man is worth all the gold in a country.' "—
Mais d'une choſe i avez moult meſpris.
N'eſt pas richoiſe ne de vair ne de gris,
Ne de deniers, de murs, ne de roneins,
Mais eſt richoiſe de parens et d'amins;
Li cuers d'un homme vaut tout l'or d'un pais."—Garin le Loherain, ii. 218.
The incident of the younger, or even at times the elder, ſons of feudal lords or landholders going to ſeek ſervice is the groundwork of the romance of "Blonde of Oxford," and of the ſtory of "Courtois d'Arras," printed by Meon in his collection of fabliaux and ſtories. The latter tale is a mediæval verſion of the ſcriptural ſtory of the Prodigal Son. Youths of good family eaſily found ſervice in this manner, and the ſervice itſelf was not conſidered diſhonourable, becauſe lords and gentlemen admitted nobody to immediate attendance on their perſons but ſons of gentlemen— perſons of as good blood as themſelves. To be a good ſervant was agentlemanly
