"He will be a liberal and bold knight," said one of the Bearnais, "and will best suit us as a head." This infant was accordingly chosen, given up by his parents to the wise men, and carried off in triumph to be educated amongst his future subjects.

The event proved their sagacity, and Gaston le Bon lived to give them good laws and prosperity.
A descendant of this chief was a Gaston, who opposed Edward I., of England, and was thrown into prison by that terrible warrior, who revenged his defeat in Santonge by fearful reprisals, and gave up the town of Orthez to his soldiers, to pillage and destroy as they pleased.
Gaston was obliged to agree to a composition with the English prince; and he was released from his dungeon in a castle in Gascony.

An appeal to the King of France was agreed on; and, when both were in presence of the suzerain, Gaston threw down his glove of defiance against the King of England, calling him a traitor and felon knight.

Edward, starting forward, and commanding his people, who heard the charge with rage, to stand back, picked up the glove himself, and entreated that a single combat might be allowed between them.

The King of France, however, opposed this; and the question of their dispute was decided by law--rather an unusual thing in those days.
This tower of Moncade,--rendered, it appears, by Gaston, the father of the little open-handed hero, as like as possible to his chateau in Catalonia,--is the scene of several tragedies; and every stone could tell some tale of sorrow and oppression.