John Petit, professor of theology in the university of Paris, ‘ame venale,’ says Bayle, ‘et vendue à l’iniquitè.’ He was reputed a great orator, and had been employed twice before to plead on occasions of the first importance. The first was in favour of the university against some accusations of the cardinal-legate in 1406; the second, at Rome before pope Gregory, on the 20th of July 1407, on the subject of the king’s proposal for a termination of the schism. The very curious performance with which we are here presented was publicly condemned by the bishop of Paris and the university as soon as they were out of fear from the immediate presence of the duke of Burgundy, and burnt by the common hangman. See, in Bayle, further particulars of the work and its author. Footnote 120: See the 19th chap. 2 Samuel. Footnote 121: This is a very striking allusion to a particular custom at tournaments, and sometimes in actual fight, of which Sainte Palaye gives a most interesting account in the ‘Memoires sur l’Ancienne Chevalerie.’ The exclamation, ‘Aux filz des Preux!’ was evidently used to encourage young knights to emulate the glories of their ancestors, and to do nothing unworthy the noble title given them; and in many instances it was attended with the most animating consequences. The greatest misfortune attending on a translation of french chronicles is the total absence in our language of an expression answerable to the french word ‘preux,’ which conveys in itself whole volumes of meaning. Spencer ventured to adapt the word in its superlative degree to the english tongue. He says somewhere ‘the _prowest_ knight alive.’ In fact, the word ‘preux’ may be considered as summing up the whole catalogue of knightly virtues in one expression. The exclamation was sometimes varied,—‘Honneur aux filz des preux!’ which seems to be the original expression. Footnote 122: Q. ‘Et aussi deux ans paravant que nous estiemes en meur estat?’ Footnote 123: Peter, youngest son of Charles the bad, and brother of Charles III. king of Navarre. He died without issue 1411. Footnote 124: William count of Tancarville and viscount of Melun, great chamberlain, president of the chamber of accounts, great butler, &c. killed at Agincourt. His daughter and heiress Margaret, brought the county of Tancarville, &c. in marriage, to James de Harcourt. Footnote 125: Peter de Luxembourg St Pol, count of Brienne and Conversano, created knight of the Golden Fleece in 1430; John de Luxembourg, his father, was brother to Walleran, and son to Guy, count of St Pol; and on the death of Walleran, without issue-male in 1415, Peter succeeded to his title and estates. His mother was heiress of the illustrious house of Brienne, emperors of Constantinople, kings of Jerusalem and dukes of Athens, &c. Anghien was one of the titles which she brought to the house of Luxembourg. Footnote 126: