“If none were wanton,” said Nomerfide, “those who would fain be believed by all the world must often have lied.” “Pray, Nomerfide,” said Geburon, “receive my vote, and forget that you are a woman, in order that we may learn what some men that are accounted truthful say of the follies of your sex.” “Since virtue compels me to it, and you have made it my turn, I will tell you what I know. I have not heard any lady or gentleman present speak otherwise than to the disadvantage of the Grey Friars, and out of pity I have resolved to speak well of them in the story that I am now about to relate.” [Illustration: 155.jpg Tailpiece] [Illustration: 157.jpg Page Image] _TALE XLIV.(A)_. _In reward for not having concealed the truth, the Lord of Sedan doubled the alms of a Grey Friar, who thus received two pigs instead of one_. (1) To the castle of Sedan once came a Grey Friar to ask my Lady of Sedan, who was of the house of Crouy, (2) for a pig, which she was wont to give to his Order every year as alms. 1 This tale, though it figures in all the MSS., does not appear in Gruget’s edition of the _Heptameron_, but is there replaced by the one that follows, XLIV. (B).--Ed. 2 This Lady of Sedan is Catherine de Croï, daughter of Philip VI. de Croï, Count of Chimay. In 1491 she married Robert II. do la Marck, Duke of Bouillon, Lord of Sedan, Fleuranges, &c., who was long the companion in arms of Bayard and La Trémoïlle. Robert II. lost the duchy of Bouillon through the conquests of Charles V., and one of the clauses of the treaty of Cambrai (the “Ladies’ Peace”) was that Francis I. would in no wise assist him to regain it. His eldest son by Catherine de Croï was the celebrated Marshal de Fleuranges, “the young adventurer,” who left such curious memoirs behind him. Robert II. died in 1535, his son surviving him a couple of years.--Anselme’s _Histoire Généalogique_, vol. vii. p. 167.--L. and B. J. My Lord of Sedan, who was a prudent man and a merry talker, had the good father to eat at his table, and in order to put him on his mettle said to him, among other things-- “Good father, you do well to make your collection while you are yet unknown. I greatly fear that, if once your hypocrisy be found out, you will no longer receive the bread of poor children, earned by the sweat of their fathers.” The Grey Friar was not abashed by these words, but replied-- “Our Order, my lord, is so securely founded that it will endure as long as the world exists. Our foundation, indeed, cannot fail so long as there are men and women on the earth.” My Lord of Sedan, being desirous of knowing on what foundation the existence of the Grey Friars was thus based, urgently begged the father to tell him. After making many excuses, the Friar at last replied--