Thanks, therefore, to his readiness, and the expressive nature of the Gascon _patois_, the hero was, for that time, saved; he took care not to lose sight of his deliverer, and, on a future occasion, rewarded him amply for the service he had rendered.
The little port of St.Marie, well known as a safe harbour to the fishermen of the Garonne, once formed part, with the town, of the possessions of Raymond, the last Count of Toulouse; who, after a series of persecutions from the Pope and the King of France, (St.Louis,) to induce him to give up the protection of the Albigenses, was permitted to retain this portion, only on condition of destroying the fortifications of the strong castle which existed there.

Guy, Viscount de Cavaillon, his friend and fellow troubadour, on one occasion addressed to him the following lines, to which he returned the answer subjoined; but, nevertheless, was obliged to submit to the power of the Church, like the rest of the world: "GUY DE CAVAILLON TO THE COUNT OF TOULOUSE.
"Tell me, Count, if you would rather Owe your lands and castles high To the Pope, our holy father, Or to sacred chivalry?
Were it best a knight and noble Conquer'd by his sword alone, Bearing heat, and cold, and trouble, By his arm to gain his own ?" "ANSWER OF COUNT RAYMOND TO GUY DE CAVAILLON.
"Guy, much sooner would I gain All by valour and my sword, Than by other means obtain What no honour can afford.
Church nor clergy I despise, Neither fear them, as you know; But no towers or castles prize Which their hands alone bestow: Holding honour above all Gifts or conquests, great or small." The evening was drawing in too much by the time we reached that part of the shore, where the few walls of the once stupendous chateau of the Lusignans appear, and we could see nothing but the shadow--it might be of the wings of the fairy, Melusine, hovering in the dim light over this, one of her numerous castles.
Here lived and contended Hugues de Lusignan, Counte de la Marche, who had married his first love, the beautiful Isabeau d'Angouleme, widow of King John of England; whose effigy so delighted me at Fontevraud, lying beside that of her brother-in-law, Coeur de Lion.[17] But, if that lovely face and delicate form truly represented the princess, her character is singularly at variance with her gentle demeanour.

She was the most imperious, restlessly proud, and vindictive woman of her time, and kept up a constant warfare with her husband and the King of France; to whom she could not endure that the Count de Lusignan should be considered a vassal.

"I," she cried, "the widow of a king! the mother of a king and an empress! am, then, to be reduced to take rank after a simple countess! to do homage to a count!" This was on the occasion of the marriage of the brother of Louis IX., with Jeanne, Countess and heiress of Toulouse, to whom the Count of Lusignan owed homage.

"No," she continued, with indignant fury, "you shall not commit so cowardly an action: resist: my son, and my son-in-law, will come to your aid.