About the end of July, Francis duke of Brittany, nephew and vassal to the king of France, died of a natural death. He was a great loss to the kingdom; for he was an active prince, prudent and valiant, and had greatly exerted himself, personally and with money, in the service of the king in the conquest of Normandy, as has been related. This prince was naturally attached to the king of France, as was apparent by his making war on those whom he knew to be enemies to his crown. He carried his affection so far that he quarrelled with one of his own brothers, the lord Giles, because, in prejudice to the king of France, and without asking his permission, he had accepted of the order of the Garter, and also the appointment of constable, from the king of England. When the duke first heard of this, he had his brother arrested and confined in one of his castles, where he was a long time closely guarded. He had been often admonished by the duke and his other relations and friends, wellwishers to France, to abandon the quarrel of the English, whom he supported against all reason, justice and right. When gentle means had been thus used in vain, other measures were resorted to; but he would not, on any account, agree to their proposals. The duke, therefore conceived a mortal hatred against him, and ordered him to be put to death. The duke was frequently summoned, by heralds from the king of England, to deliver up his constable, whom he detained prisoner under the guard of Arthur of Montauban: on his refusal, the english monarch sent him his challenge, which made sir Giles's case worse than before,--and the duke's hatred so much increased that, it was commonly said, he was strangled by two twisted towels. Thus ended the days of sir Giles miserably and pitifully, which will be a great example to all others. Of this sad transaction, however, there are different accounts in Brittany. Some say, that from a quarrel between de Montauban and his accomplices, it has been discovered that they got him put to death by giving false information to the duke, expecting to gain by his decease; for sir Giles was very willing to renounce his connections with the English, and to act as his brother pleased; but that they sent the duke information quite the reverse, as has been confessed by some of his murderers, and declared to be the truth, for which they have been tried and suffered death: some indeed escaped, and, for very good reasons, dare not again show themselves in that country.