dispute should be settled by a
combat within the walls, the Duke of Lancaster consenting to preside.
Victory declared in favour of Du Guesclin, who would have cut off the head
of his adversary, had not the Duke of Lancaster interceded for his life.
Cantorbery was dragged upon a hurdle out of the lists, and condemned to
pay 1000 florins to Oliver; his horse and armour were given to Bertrand,
and the felon knight expelled the English army.

We drove to see the Castle of Montafilant, one of the apanages of the
Rohan family, which passed with many others to the unfortunate Gilles de
Bretagne, by his marriage with the heiress Francoise de Dinan. The castle
is approached by a steep winding path, leading to the plateau upon which
it stands. Before the use of firearms, its position rendered it
impregnable. Of its seven towers, two only remain.

The story of Gilles de Bretagne forms the subject of a romance by the
Vicomte Walsh. Though his conduct was not free from blame, his long
captivity and tragic end have rendered this unfortunate prince an object
of pity to posterity. Third son of Duke John V., he was reared with Henry
VI. of England, and personally attached to the English; but he never was
in league with England against his own country, and his uncle the
Constable Richemont regarded him as the honour and hope of his house. His
wife Francoise was the most beautiful and accomplished woman of her time,
the "perle de noblesse, de gentilesse, et de savoir;" and moreover
possessed of the rich inheritance of her uncle Bertrand de Dinan, of the
Montafilant branch. She had been betrothed from her infancy to the Sire de
Gavre, son of Guy, Comte de Laval; but her father died when she was only
eight years old, and Gilles de Bretagne carried her off by force.
Dissatisfied with his paternal inheritance, the lordship of Champtoce, he
retired to Guildo, one of the chateaux of Francoise's dower, where he
passed his time in company with his English archers. His withdrawal from
court was represented to Duke Francis as the beginning of a revolt, by
Arthur de Montauban, his bitterest enemy and a great favourite of the
Duke. Gilles neglected his young wife, and she is reported, in an
unguarded moment, to have said to Montauban, she would marry him "if her
husband were to die." Duke Francis was determined to get rid of his
brother, and Charles VII. was persuaded to assist him in his vile design.
The King arrested Gilles on the charge of high tr