Chapter 16

The moderation and absence of ambition in the character of La Tour d’Auvergne is expressed in a letter to Le Coq, Bishop of Ille-et-Vilaine. He writes,—"Je me prosterne bien plus volontiers devant la Providence pour le remercier que pour rien demander; du pain, du lait, la liberté; et une cœur qui ne puisse jamais s’ouvrir à l’ambition, voilà l’objet de tous mes désirs."

La Tour d’Auvergne had a learned dog, which he educated as a soldier; he went through the whole drill, and his master made him always wear boots. He marched in them, on one occasion, the whole distance from Paris to Guingamp.

A horse fair and market were going on at Carhaix. Some of the women wore curious flannel hoods, edged with colours. There were baskets of burnt limpet shells and lime, used in washing as substitutes for soap. In the porch of the church dedicated to St. Tremeur (son of the Bluebeard Comorre) are some of the little skull-boxes so common in the north of Brittany. One was labelled, "Ci gît le chef de Mr. Thomas François Nonet, ancien notaire et maire de la ville de Carhaix le 28 J^ier 1776, décédée le 8 7^bre 1842." The curfew bell rings at Carhaix at a quarter to ten.

We left next day for Huelgoat, fifteen miles distant, the road up and down, wild and dreary. At Pont Pierre, about nine miles from Carhaix, we crossed the Aulne, even here a considerable river, with a beautiful thick forest on our right. At a place called La Grande Halte, we turned off the road to the right for Huelgoat, about a mile and a half off. It is prettily situated on a large pond or lake, nearly a mile and a half in circumference, and of great depth (20 feet). It was market day; the men wore brown serge coats, close white breeches and black gaiters, with straw hats bound with black. The countrymen from Saint Herbot were there in their black shaggy goat or sheepskin overcoats, the hair turned outwards (there are flocks of black sheep throughout Finistère), without sleeves, and the white breeches, black gaiters, and straw hats. The women of Huelgoat wear large white turnover collars and caps with long ends turned up.

We first walked to the rocking stone on the slope of a steep hill, considered the third largest in Brittany; the block forming a kind of double cube, that is, about twice the length of its height. It requires a very slight impulse to make it rock. This "fairy stone" is often consulted by the peasants. In the ravine close by, below the path, is what is called the "Cuisine de Madame Marie," but termed in the guide-books the "Ménage de la Vierge;" a recess formed of large masses of fantastically shaped granite rocks, through which a small stream of water flows, arriving thither from the pond, by a subterranean course. One stone, hollowed out, is called the écuelle of the Virgin, and others have each the name of some different utensil requisite for the "Ménage" of our Lady. The young people managed to scramble to the bottom.

Huelgoat (Breton, "high wood") is celebrated for its lead-mines, which are now no longer worked. A well-kept path, cut on the top of the ridge, leads to the mines, about two miles and a half distant, along a neat little canal, three feet wide, issuing from the great pond, and supplying the hydraulic machine used to pump the water out of the mine. The deeply wooded valley, along the ridge of which it runs, is traversed by a rushing stream, which runs over rocks; and at a place called Le Gouffre, the rounded granite masses are piled in the wildest confusion, like those of the Ménage de la Vierge, forming a large dark cavern, at the bottom of which the imprisoned river foams and roars, and has forced itself an escape through a gorge at some distance from the place, where it is lost to view. A young girl is said, about a century back, to have fallen down this gulf. Attempting to gather some of the mosses that line the sides of the rocks, she slipped in and perished in the sight of her intended. Her body never reappeared, but our guide assured us that her ghost was seen four years since, and that sighs and groans are to be heard at eve issuing from the fatal chasm.

The pretty little ivy-leaved campanula was growing here in abundance. We visited in succession the "robber’s cave," the "Pierre cintré" (a natural archway), and other wonders, and returned much pleased with the infinite variety of fantastic rocks, rushing waters, and hanging woods, which form this charming scene.

The lead-mines of Huelgoat have been worked since the fifteenth century for the silver which the lead-ore (galena) contains.

The right of working these mines and those of Poullaouen was given by Louis XIII. to Jean du Châtelet, Baron of Beausoleil, and his wife. He was at that time General of the Mines in Hungary, and inspector of the French mines. They were accompanied by German miners, but their mysterious researches caused them to be accused of sorcery and magic. Richelieu had them imprisoned in the Bastille, where they both died, victims of the fanaticism of the age, and the works were abandoned till the eighteenth century. They are now no longer in operation, but it is said are about to be re-opened.

Retracing our steps to La Grande Halte, on the Carhaix road, we turned off to the left to see the cascade of St. Herbot. We left our carriage, and walked up a hill covered with underwood, opposite the fall. The cascade is formed by the little river Elez falling through a mountain gorge about 650 feet in length, filled with granite rocks of every shape and size, the sides overhung with woods of oak. The height of the fall is 230 feet.

There was no water in the cascade. At the best, it must be only a succession of small falls. The river tumbles from rock to rock, forming on some of the ledges pools of water, filled with small trout, some of which were caught by our party.

According to the legend, a giant of the country, wishing to clear the fields of his friend, a Druid, from the rocks that encumbered them, rolled them down the torrent.

We descended the hill to the road where we had left our carriage, and went to the chapel of St. Herbot, a building of the sixteenth century, on the side of a rushing brook. It has a high square tower opening into the church, and a rood-screen of wood beautifully carved in the style of the Renaissance, which forms three sides round the altar. Two angels are represented with cups, the "sainte graal" receiving the blood of Christ. The entrance to the church is up a flight of steps. It has a beautifully sculptured south porch, with statues of the Apostles, and some fine painted-glass windows. One part of the church has the windows with iron bars, as if for defence.

Near the altar is the tomb of the anchorite, St. Herbot; his effigy reposes under a Gothic canopy, upon a granite sarcophagus, represented in his hermit’s gown, the hood thrown back, flowing hair, long beard, his breviary suspended to his girdle, and his pilgrim’s staff by his left arm. His feet repose on a recumbent lion. St. Herbot is the great patron of cattle; the three days of the fair and pardon all the bullocks rest; and when an animal is ill, an offering of his hair is made to the saint. We saw a heap of horsehair and cows’ tails lying on one of the altars. These are annually sold for the profit of the church, and the proceeds amount to a considerable sum. Our guide gravely assured us that on the first of May, day of the Pardon of St. Herbot, the cows "d’elles mêmes" walk three times round the church.

We returned late to Carhaix, and left next day for Guingamp, passing, about two miles out of the town, through the village of St. Catherine on the Hierre, where the church has fleur-de-lisé windows, like that of Penmarch. We here entered the department of the Côtes-du-Nord through Callac, where we changed horses; the country was hilly and wooded. On the left we saw the spire of the church of Notre Dame-de-Grâces, where repose the remains of Charles of Blois; on the right appeared the cathedral towers of Guingamp. At this last place we took the rail to Caulnes-Dinan, and on, by diligence, to Dinan, whence we proposed returning by St. Malo; but, finding the time of the boat’s sailing did not suit our arrangements, we returned by Paris and Dieppe to London.

SOME USEFUL DATES IN THE HISTORY OF BRITTANY.

1320. Du Guesclin born. 1338. Marriage of Charles of Blois and Jeanne de Penthièvre. Du Guesclin at the tournament. 1341. Death of John III. Beginning of the War of Succession. 1342. John de Montfort, prisoner in the Louvre, 1345. Escape to England and death. 1346. Siege of Hennebont defended by Jeanne de Flandre. 1347. Charles of Blois taken prisoner at La Roche Derrien. " War of the two Jeannes. 1351. Combat of the Thirty. 1356. Charles of Blois liberated. 1359. Siege of Dinan. 1364. Battle of Auray. 1365. Treaty of Guérande. 1370. Du Guesclin, Constable of France. 1375. John IV. flees to England. 1380. He is recalled. 1387. Death of Du Guesclin. 1387. Clisson marries his daughter to Jean de Penthièvre. 1407. Death of Clisson. 1420. Seizure of John V. by the Penthièvres. 1488. Battle of St. Aubin du Cormier.

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF THE DUKES OF BRITTANY.

[]

1. GEOFFROY II. CONSTANCE 3rd son of Henry II.,--------=--------Heiress of Britanny 1175 | Arthur, 1196.

CONSTANCE,------------=-----------2. GUY DE THOUARS Heiress of | Brittany. Alix, 1213------=-----Pierre de Dreux. | John II., 1286. Beatrix, daughter of Henry III. | | 1. Maria,-------------=------Arthur II., 1305----------------------------------=-----2. Jeanne de Montfort. Vicountess | | de Limoges | | | +--------------+--------+ +-----------+----------+ | | | | Jean Comte de Montfort + 1345. Beatrix. Jean III. (Bon), 1313. Gui Comte de Penthièvre.........Jeanne de Flandre........Gui de Laval. Isabelle de Valois. | | | | | Beatrix de Laval Jeanne la Boiteuse. Jean IV. (Vaillant), 1366. | Charles de Blois + 1364 ....... 1. Mary of England. Richard de Bretagne. | 2. Joan Holland.........Marguerite d’Orleans. +----------------------+--------------+ 3. Joan of Navarre. | | | | | | Jean Comte de Penthièvre. Gui. Henri. | | Marguerite de Clisson. Died in captivity. | | | +-------------+-----+ Francis II., 1458 +------+-------+ | | | | | John V., 1439 Arthur III., 1457...1. Marguerite de Bretagne. Olivier Charles Guillaume ................ Jeanne de France Constable. 2. Marguerite de Foix. | | +----------------------+------------------+--------+ | Francis I., 1442. Pierre II., Maria. Gilles. Anne, 1488. 1. Yolande d’Anjou. 1450. Francoise de Dinan.......1. Charles VIII. 2. Isabeau d’Ecosse. Francoise d’Amboise. 2. Louis XIII. | +----+----+ Claude. Renée.

INDEX.

Abelard, 192. Ancenis, 217. Angoulême, Duke and Duchess, 167. Anne, of Austria, Queen, 122, 269. Anne de Beaujeu, Regent, 203, 229. Anne of Brittany, Queen-Duchess, 42, 50, 62, 98, 121, 153, 221, 222, 223. Arré, mountains, 103, 136, 297. Arthur and Geoffroy Plantagenet, 216. Arthur III., Duke of Brittany, Constable of France, 190. Artois, Comte d’, 29. Auray, 157. Auray, battle of, 161. Auray, Ste. Anne d’, 158. Avranches, 23. Audierne, 269.

Baciocchi, Princess, 187. Baie des Trépassés, 274. Barbès, 28. Barkers (aboyeurs), 214. Bas-Foins, 49. Beaumanoir Chapel, 56. Beaumanoir, Jean de, 52, 206. Beauport, Abbey of, 76. Belle-Isle-en-Mer, 250. Bellière, Château of, 54. Berri, Duchess, 226. Bertheaume, Island, 128. Bigouden, 258. Biniou, 249. Bisson, 155, 194. Blanche of Castille, 149. Blue Beard, Breton, 194. Boisgelin, Château, 75. Bonchamps, 237. Bourg-de-Batz, 217. Brest, 118. Bretesch, Château of, 248. Breton bed, 239; — butter, 153; — character, 99; — chestnuts, 203; — cow and pig, 153; — distaffs, 259; — farmhouse, 86; — knitting, 74; — soup, 112; — threshing, 117; — vehicles, 37.

Cancale, 39. Carnac, 177. Cesson, Tour de, 71. Carhaix, 297. Chalais, Comte de, 226. Champ des Martyrs, 166. Champtoceaux, Château de, 218. Chandos, Sir John, 16, 46, 89, 162. Châteaubriand, 36, 41. Châteaulin, 135. Chatelet, J. du, 302. Chêne-Ferron, Château of, 57. Cherbourg, 1. Charles the Bad, 134. Charles of Blois, 67, 75, 82, 161. Charles V., 223. Charles VI., 185. Charles VII., 47, 191. Charles VIII., 203, 229. Clisson, Constable, 25, 89, 186, 209. Clisson, Marguerite, 89, 218. Colomb, Michel, 127, 221. Combat des Trente, 206. Combourg, Château de, 36. Comorre, 194, 297. Concarneau, 142. Conquet, Le, 128. Constance of Brittany, 216. Cornouaille, 135. Costume, 23, 133, 140, 234, 249, 258, 283, 288, 298. Couëron, 34. Couësnon, 29. Courcorro, 181. Coutances, 19. Crêpes, 11, 169. Croisic, Le, 232. Crosses, 104.

D’Andelot, Sieur, 248. Dinan, 44, 50. Dinan, Françoise de, _see_ Françoise. Dinan, Roland de, 53. Dinard, 44. Dogs of St. Malo, 42. Dol, 30. Douarnenez, 276, 279. Dubourg, 29. Du Guesclin, 24, 44, 45, 51, 53, 74, 143, 162, 209.

Elven, Château of, 199. Edward III., 15, 112, 153, 223. Edward IV., 201. Escoublac, 232. Estouteville, Sieur d’, 13, 26. Epinglettes, 160. Ermine, Order of, 126.

Filet, saint, 264. Faouët, Le, 287. Folgoët, Le, 120. Fouquet, N., 256. Francis I., Duke of Brittany, 47, 126 _note_, 185. Francis II., Duke of Brittany, 221, 229. Françoise de Dinan, 46, 215. Fontenelle le Ligueur, 267. Frérie Blanche, 72. Frobisher, 134.

Gavr’ Inis, 174. Gesril du Papeu, 166, 167. Gilles de Bretagne, 46. Goëmon (wrack), 94. Grallo, King, 139, 275. Guérande, 245. Guimiliau, 115. Granville, 21. Guingamp, 72.

Hædic, Isle, 250, 257. Haye du Puits, La, 17. Harcourt, G. d’, 15. Hennebont, 156. Henry II., 4, 24, 26. Henry IV., 71, 134, 191. Henry V., 13, 26, 134, 201. Henry VI., 201. Henry VII., 201. Henry VIII., 128. Henri IV., 216, 225. Hercé, 167, 183. Hoche, Gen., 166. Hunaudaye, Château de la, 62. Huelgoat, 300.

Indian corn, 251. Inclined axis of church, 106. Is, City of, 274. Ingrandes, 217.

James II., 72, 205. Jean de Montfort, 67, 112, 153. Jeanne d’Arc, 190. Jeanne de Flandre (Montfort), 83, 156. Jeanne de France, 185, 219. Jeanne de Penthièvre, 83. Jeanne (Joan) of Navarre, 106, 121, 134, 194, 246. John I. (Roux), 189, 194. John II., 204. John III. (Bon), 67, 160, 205. John IV. (Victorieux), 25, 67, 71, 119, 121, 126, 160, 185, 223, 246. John V., 88, 121, 185. Josselin, Château, 211. Jugon, 61, 187.

Kergrist, Château, 96. Kermartin, 84. Kermario, 177. Kersanton stone, 122, 135. Kerserho, 181. Kerscaven, 269. Knights Templars, 69. Knollys, Sir R., 119, 143. Korn-er-Hoët, 187. La Forêt, Bay, 143. La Garaye, Château of, 57. Lamballe, 67. Lanleff, 68. Langoat, 83. Langoustes, 94, 147. Lannion, 94. Lanvaux, Lande de, 187. Larochejaquelin, 22. La Tour d’Auvergne, 297. Lehon Abbey, 56. Lavandières de la Nuit, 290. Lesage, 188. Léonnais, 103. Léon, Viscounts, 110. Lézardrieux, 80. Lessay, 17. Locmariaker, 170. Loctudy, 261. Lorient, 155. Louis XI., 26, 201. Louis XII., 32, 223. Louis XIV., 119, 189.

Manny, Sir W., 128, 153, 157. Manoir, 81. Martinvast, 12. Matilda, Empress, 3. Mary, daughter of Edward III., 106. Mercœur, Duke de, 225. Menhir, 35. Mingant Rock, 119. Minihy (sanctuaries), 88. Mivoie, Chêne de, 207. Montafilant, Château, 46. Montfort, 215. Mont St. Michel, 25. Motto of Dukes of Brittany, 126, 161. Morbihan Sea, 174. Morlaix, 97.

Nacqueville, Château, 6. Nantes, 221. Napoleon I., 3, 4. Notre Dame-de-Comfort, church, 279. Notre Dame-du-Roncier, 213.

Octeville, 5. Ouëssant Isle, 128, 133.

Paimbœuf, 229. Paimpol, 80. Palais, Le, 251. Penmarch, 263. Penmarch, Torche de, 262. Penthièvre, 149, 210, 225. Périers, 18. Perros Guirec, 92. Peter, Duke, 72. Philip Augustus, 28. Pierre de Dreux, 216. Pierres de Croix, 286. Pleudaniel, 81. Ploërmel, 203. Plouaret, 96. Plougastel, 133. Plouharnel, 180. Ploumanach, 92. Pointe du Raz, 271. Pole, W. de la, Earl of Suffolk, 13. Pontacallec, Marquis de, 226, 294. Pontaven, 150. Pontcroix, 276. Pont l’Abbé, 257. Pontorson, 24. Port Navalo, 250. Potatoes, 251. Poulignan, 233. Porzmoguer, 130.

Querqueville, 5. Quiberon, 165. Quimper, 138. Quimperlé, 151.

Rance River, 43. Richelieu, Cardinal, 96, 119. Richelieu, Duke, 82. Rennes, 216. Retz, Cardinal, 226. Rieux, Marshal, 202. River scenery, 103, 216, 250. Roads, 84, 91. Roche Bernard, La, 247. Roche Derrien, La, 82. Roche Jagu, La, 81. Rochefort, Chancellor, 229. Rocking stones, 93, 149, 300. Rohan family, 98, 99, 111, 210. Rosaries, 282. Roscoff, 111. Rosgrand, 153. Rosporden, 285. Rustéphan, Château, 149.

Sacring bells, 279. Saire, Monk of, 5. Ste. Anne la Palue, 282. St. Armal, 204. — Aubin du Cormier, 229. Ste. Barbe, 287. St. Brieuc, 71. — Corentin, 137. — Cornély, 178. — Fiacre, 20. — " church, 293. — Florent, 217. — Génévroc, 105. — Germain, 5, 34. — Gildas, 192. — Guenolé, 263. — Herbot, 303. — Ives, 85, 88. — Léonard, 75. — Malo, 39. — Mathieu, 129. — Michael, Order of, 26. — Nazaire, 230. — Pair, 23. — Pol de Léon, 103. — Samson, 32. — Thégonnec, 114, 117. — Urlose, 152. — Vincente Ferrar, 184. Salt, 233. Sardine fishery, 144. Sarzeau, 192. Scaër, 285. Scales, Lord, 21. Sein, Isle, 272. Sevigné, Madame de, 203. Skull-boxes, 91. Sœurs de la Miséricorde, 16. Sœurs de le Providence, 11. Sombreuil, Comte de, 164, 183, 184. Stuart, Charles, 113, 230. Stuart, Mary, 98, 112. Sucinio, Château, 189.

Teigneuse, Isle, 250. Thomas à Becket, 24. Tocqueville, A. de, 7. Tombeleine, Isle, 28. Touquédec, Château, 95. Tourlaville, Château, 7. Tréguier, 88. Trégunc, 149. Trieux River, 80. Trinité, La, 130. Tumiac, Butte de, 199. Typhaine, the Lady, 24, 44, 54.

Valognes, 14. Vannes, 183. Varades, 217. Vendean army, 217. Veneti, 183. Venus’ ear, 2. Victoria, Queen, 1, 3, 14.

Walsh, 230. War of the two Jeannes, 83. War of Succession, 67 _note_. Washing, 18. Wells, holy, 125, 285. Welsh Baptists, 100. William the Conqueror, 4.

TRANSCRIBERS’ NOTES

The following substitutions were applied to the text by Project Gutenberg proofers and transcribers—

On page 7: "recals" —> "recalls" On page 25: "John IV Duke of Britanny" —> "Brittany" On page 93: "slighest" —> "slightest" On page 104: "calvarys" —> "calvaries" In Ill. 22: "Creisker" —> "Creizker" On page 144: "mackarel" —> "mackerel" On page 149: "out out" —> "out" On page 167: twice "d’Angoulme" —> "d’Angoulême" On page 178: "Erdevan" —> "Erdeven" On pages 196/197: several extra double quotes removed On page 212: "ballustrades" —> "balustrades" On page 270: "promonotory" —> "promontory" On page 272: "corronation" —> "coronation" On page 303: "in in" —> "in"