176 THE PLEASANT HISTORY OF CHAP,

an hundred armed enemies, yet should not
his heart fail him, but he should come off
with honour and victory; only he must be
nobly bred, and of no churlish disposition ;
for the ring gave no virtue to any which
was not a true gentleman. Now all these
virtues considered, I thought myself unworthy
to keep it, and therefore I sent it to you,
my Lord the King, knowing you to be the
most excellent of all creatures living, and
one on whom all our lives depend, and
therefore fittest to be guarded with so rich
a jewel.

‘This ring I found in my father’s treasure,
and in the same place also I found a comb
and a glass mirror, which my wife desired of
me; they were jewels of great wonder and
admiration; these were sent to my lady the
Queen, because of her grace and mercy
extended towards me.

‘To speak of the comb, it can never be
too much praised, for it was made of the
bone of a noble beast named Panther, which
liveth between the great /zdia and earthly
Paradise; he is so goodly and fair of colour
that there is no beautiful colour under heaven
but some splendour thereof appears in him;