The
count of Foix did not know what to make of the
duke of Anjou's intentions and was very fearful, seeing him so close to his territories. The
count, therefore, issued a summons to his knights and squires and sent them out to each of his garrisons. He stationed his brother
Sir Arnaud-Guillaume with two hundred lance at the town of
Morlaàs, his other brother
Sir Pierre de Béarn with two hundred lance at the town of
Pau,
Sir Pierre de Gabaston with two hundred lance at the city of
Lescar,
Sir Menaut de Navailles with one hundred lance at the town of
Arthez,
Sir Arnaud de Gerderest with one hundred lance at the town of
Montgerbiel,
Sir Fouquaut d'Orcery with one hundred lance at the town of
Sauveterre, and I,
Sir Espan de Lyon, was sent with two hundred lance to
Mont de Marsen. There was not a castle in the whole of
Béarn which was not well provided with fine men-at-arms. He himself remained in his castle at
Orthez with his florins.'
'My lord,' said I to the
knight, 'does he have them in great quantity?'
'By my faith,' said he, 'today the
count of Foix has at least thirty times one hundred thousand and not a year goes by without him giving away sixty thousand. There is not another living lord who is so generous in giving gifts.'
Then I asked him, 'And to whom does he give these gifts, my lord?'
He replied, 'To strangers, knights, and squires who travel through his country, to heralds, minstrels and all who would converse with him. Nobody leaves without receiving a gift, for he would be furious it was refused.'
'Ha! Holy Mary!' I exclaimed. 'My lord, for what purpose does he hoard so much money, and where does such a large sum come from?
Is his income enough to provide him with it? I would dearly love to know, if you would not mind telling me.'
'Not at all,' said the
knight. 'You will know, but you asked me two things and as I must deal with the first before I come to the second, so must I begin with the first.'
'First of all you asked me why he keeps so much money. I can tell you that the
count of Foix is constantly fearful of war with the
count of Armagnac and of the intentions of his neighbours, the
king of France and the
king of England, neither of whom he would willingly anger. Thus far he has managed to keep himself apart from their war, for he has never borne arms for either side and is on good terms with both. I can tell you, and you will agree once you have made his acquaintance and heard him speak, and seen the circumstances and condition of his household, that he is the shrewdest prince in existence, whom no distinguished lord such as the
king of France or the
king of England would readily offend.'
'As for his other neighbours, the
kings of Aragon and Navarre, he pays them little attention, for he could summon more men-at-arms, since he has acquired so many friends with his gifts and can gain so much with his money, than these
two kings could ever do. I heard him say that when the
king of Cyprus came to his country of
Béarn and spoke with him concerning an intended pilgrimage to the
Holy Sepulchre, he infatuated him so well with the idea of a making such a grand conquest there that, if the kings of France and England had gone there, he would have been the most significant lord after them, leading the largest army and achieving the greatest result. He has not yet given up on this idea, and it is in part for this reason that he is amassing so much wealth.
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