n of the province by Philip-Augustus, Caen itself, together
with the castle and its dungeon, was all committed to the charge of a
single officer, denominated the _Captain_. Such also appears to have
continued the case, except during the reign of Louis XI. when one
Raymond d'Argeau is recorded to have been the _Garde particulier du
Donjon_. The timid policy of a suspicious prince might naturally suggest
the idea of greater safety, in not allowing the power over so important
a fortress to be vested in any single hand.

[Illustration: Plate 48. CHAPEL IN THE CASTLE AT CAEN.]

The Castle at Caen was the place on which the different lordships,
attached to the dignity of Viscount of Caen, directly or indirectly,
depended. Almost all of them were held upon the condition of some annual
contribution, consisting either of arrows, or quivers, or bows, or
swords, or cuirasses, or other description of ancient armor. In time of
war, the vassals of these different lords were likewise bound to mount
guard at the castle; but most of the parishes purchased an exemption
from this service, by means of a pecuniary payment. Thus it is upon
record that, in the year 1383, the parish of Mery compounded for
fifty-six livres annually, and that of Cleville for thirty-two livres
ten sols. By the tenure of others among the dependencies of the
bailiwick, it was stipulated, according to M. de Bourgueville, that they
should supply the castle with provisions, in the event of war.

The sums arising from these various contributions, were employed for the
pay and maintenance of the garrison: in 1369, the salary of the governor
of Caen was fixed at one thousand livres annually; half of it arising
from the revenues of the Viscounty of Caen, the other moiety from those
of the Viscounty of Bayeux. The garrison, during the fourteenth century,
was limited in time of peace to six esquires and ten crossbow-men. Even
during the short period of English power, the governor was allowed for
the defence of the place only thirty heavy-armed soldiers and ninety
archers, half of their number being mounted. Upon the capture of Caen by
Charles VII. in 1450, that monarch left in the castle a garrison
amounting to nearly three hundred soldiers; and this number was not
reduced below one hundred and forty, upon the conclusion of the peace.

The above particulars, translated almost verbatim from the Abbe De la
Rue's recent publication upon Caen,[85] do not place the castle, a