The simple and natural arrangement of the line of armed men and their banners, with which the Gothic artist has formed his miniature picture, might afford some useful hints to modern designers of cartoons; the simplicity is perhaps carried too far, but then it is free from the great vices of the modern schools, such as overstrained attitudes, exaggerated expression, fantastic, affected, and unnatural grouping, and artificial or rather theatrical effects of sudden light and shade. Without imitating the defects of these early practitioners of the art, a study of their earnest and unaffected simplicity of treatment might add much of that nobleness and repose of effect which is so deficient in modern historical pictures, and which ought to be one of their principal qualities. The contrivance by which the illuminator has in the small space of his miniature conveyed the idea of the passing of a large army, by means of the crowded line, or rather stream, of helmets, just seen over the steep banks of the hollow way through which they are passing, might certainly be improved to very good effect. [Illustration: The landing of the Lady de Coucy at Boulogne, on her return from England, in the Year 1399.] PLATE XXVII. THE LANDING OF THE LADY DE COUCY AT BOULOGNE ON HER RETURN FROM ENGLAND IN THE YEAR 1399. Almost immediately after the deposition of Richard II., in 1399, the lady of Coucy, who had been in attendance upon his queen Isabella, daughter of Charles VI., returned to France, conveying the first tidings of the events which had just occurred. Rumours had already reached that country through some merchants of Bruges, but the whole truth was not known at Paris till the arrival of this lady. The grief of the king, when he heard of the misfortunes which had overtaken his son-in-law, was so great that it caused a return of his frenzy, and his uncles again resumed the government of the kingdom. The citizens of Bourdeaux, where Richard was born, were much attached to him, and, on hearing of his deposition and imprisonment were greatly excited, as were the people of all the surrounding country; for he had always been popular in that province. These circumstances gave the French great hopes that they might detach them from their allegiance to the English, and they carried on many intrigues and secret negotiations with that view; but after the first effervescence of feeling was over, the people of the Bordelais took a calm view of the question, and decided, as Froissart quaintly narrates it, that as France was at that time oppressed with heavy taxes, it would be better for them to remain true to the English, who left them frank and free; saying, “If the Londoners have deposed king Richard and crowned king Henry, what is it to us? &c. &c.--we have more commerce with the English than the French, in wines, wool, and cloth. Let us therefore be cautious how we listen to propositions which we may hereafter repent[14].”