II. died in 1535, his son
surviving him a couple of years.--Anselme's _Histoire
Genealogique_, 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--

"Since you are pleased to command me to tell you, you shall hear. Know,
then, my lord, that our foundation is the folly of women, and that so
long as there be a wanton or foolish woman in the world we shall not die
of hunger."

My Lady of Sedan, who was very passionate, was in such wrath on hearing
these words, that, had her husband not been present, she would have
dealt harshly with the Grey Friar; and indeed she swore roundly that
he should not have the pig that she had promised him; but the Lord of
Sedan, finding that he had not concealed the truth, swore that he should
have two, and caused them to be sent to his monastery.

"You see, ladies, how the Grey Friar, being sure that the favour of
the ladies could not fail him, contrived, by concealing nothing of the
truth, to win the favour and alms of men. Had he been a flatterer and
dissembler, he would have been more pleasing to the ladies, but not so
profitable to himself and his brethren."

The tale was not concluded without making the whole company laugh,
and especially such among them as knew the Lord and Lady of Sedan. And
Hircan said--"The Grey Friars, then, should never preach with intent to
make women wise, since their folly is of so much service to the Order."

"They do not preach to them," said Parlamente, "with intent to make
them wise, but only to make them think themselves so. Women who are
altogether worldly and foolish do not give them much alms; nevertheless,
those