Their strictures on the dress and appearance of the knights and nobles, are in keeping with the freedom of the habits of the day, when the commonalty, however oppressed in some particulars, were allowed a singular latitude of speech.
[Footnote 47: _i.e._ lifting their partners into the air.] Amongst their homely sayings, occur the following:-- "Habillat u bastou qu', auera l'air d'u baron." Dress up a stick, and you can give it the air of a baron.
"Nout basques mey gran hech que non pouchques lheba:" Do not make a larger fagot than you can lift.
"Quabaue mey eslurras dap l'esclop que dap la lengue." It is better to slide with _sabots_ than with the tongue.
"Yamey nou fondes maysou aupres d'aigue ni de seignou." Never build a house near a torrent nor a great lord.
"Las sourcieros et lous loup-garous Aus cures han minya capons." Witches and loup-garoux make priests eat fat capons, _i.e.are to their advantage_--an adage which would seem to infer that the search for sorcery was known to be a _job_ in all ages.
The tournament goes on: and, to the great disappointment of the lady of the lists, no stranger-knight appears; and her admirer, Odon, is the victor over all others; when, just at the last moment, the trumpet of the Unknown sounds, and he comes into the arena, and challenges the envious knight, after defeating all the others, Dame Garsende has recourse to a stratagem to overcome him, which fails in regard to him, but overwhelms her son in confusion, and causes his defeat: she cuts the cord of a canopy under which the knight has to pass, in the hope that it will fall in his way, and encumber his advance; but he adroitly catches it on the end of his spear, and Odon, in falling from his horse after the knight's attack, gets entangled in the garlands and drapery, and makes a very ridiculous figure.

Of course the stranger-knight is made happy in the chaplet placed on his brow by Marie, and the kiss of custom by which the gift is accompanied.

His rival retires, vowing vengeance.
A grand feast then takes place; and as the guests arrive they are severally recognised by the people.

The stranger-knight, whose device is _a branch of vine clinging to an aged tree_, is hailed with acclamation, and a tumult of enthusiasm, consequent on his successes and his honourable reception by Gaston Phoebus; to whom, when questioned as to his name and family, he replies that he is called Raymond, the adopted son of Messire Augerot de Domezain.

Gaston instantly recognises in him a knight whose valorous deeds are on record, and who saved the life of Marie de Lignac's father, at the battle of Aljubarotta.
Raymond produces a chain of gold, which the dying knight had charged him to deliver to Gaston, to be sent to his daughter; and the tears and thanks of the young lady are the reward of his accomplished mission.
The stranger-knight is now at the height of favour: adopted by Ernauton d'Espagne as his brother-in-arms; welcomed by the gorgeous Gaston Phoebus; hailed by the people; and, above all, loved by Marie.