die for this villainous deed.”  Accordingly, Jaques le Grys was accused of the crime, in the court of the earl of Alencon.  But, as he was greatly loved of his lord, and as the evidence was very slender, the earl gave judgment against the accusers.  Hereupon John Carogne appealed to the parliament of Paris; which court, after full consideration, appointed the case to be tried by mortal combat betwixt the parties, John Carogne appearing as the champion of his lady.  If he failed in his combat, then was he to be hanged, and his lady burned, as false and unjust calumniators.  This combat, under circumstances so very peculiar, attracted universal attention; in so much, that the king of France and his peers, who were then in Flanders, collecting troops for an invasion of England, returned to Paris, that so notable a duel might be fought in the royal presence.  “Thus the kynge, and his uncles, and the constable, came to Parys.  Then the lystes were made in a place called Saynt Katheryne, behinde the Temple.  There was soo moche people, that it was mervayle to beholde; and on the one side of the lystes there was made gret scaffoldes, that the lordes might the better se the batayle of the ii champion; and so they bothe came to the felde, armed at all peaces, and there eche of them was set in theyr chayre; the erle of Saynt Poule gouverned John of Carongne, and the erle of Alanson’s company with Jacques le Grys; and when the knyght entred in to the felde, he came to his wyfe, who was there syttynge in a chayre, covered in blacke, and he sayd to her thus:—­Dame, by your enformacyon, and in your quarrell, I do put my lyfe in adventure, as to fyght with Jacques le Grys; ye knowe, if the cause be just and true.’—­’Syr,’ sayd the lady, ’it is as I have sayd; wherefore ye maye fyght surely; the cause is good and true.’  With those wordes, the knyghte kissed the lady, and toke her by the hande, and then blessyd hym, and soo entred into the felde.  The lady sate styll in the blacke chayre, in her prayers to God, and to the vyrgyne Mary, humbly prayenge them, by theyr specyall grace, to send her husbande the victory, accordynge to the ryght.  She was in gret hevynes, for she was not sure of her lyfe; for, if her husbande sholde have ben dyscomfyted, she was judged, without remedy, to be brente, and her husbande hanged.  I cannot say whether she repented her or not, as the matter was so forwarde, that both she and her husbande were in grete peryll:  howbeit, fynally, she must as then abyde the adventure.  Then these two champyons were set one agaynst another, and so mounted on theyr horses, and behauved them nobly; for they knewe what perteyned to deades of armes.  There were many lordes and knyghtes of Fraunce, that were come thyder to se that batayle.  The two champyons justed at theyr fyrst metyng, but none of them dyd hurte other; and, after the justes, they lyghted on foote to periournie theyr batayle, and soo fought valyauntly.—­And fyrst, John of Carongne was hurt in the thyghe, whereby