, a brave and celebrated French officer, was born in 1476. The faroily
, a brave and celebrated French officer, was born in 1476. The faroily name was Terrail, and Bayard the name of the castle in which he was born. The family of Terrail, now extinct, once held a very distinguished rank among the nobility of Dauphiny. It was one of the houses, which, in that province, were honoured with the name of the Scarlet Nobility, which served to distinguish the ancient nobility from those who were created by the letters patent of Louis XL which, when he invaded Dauphiny, he distributed witiiout distinction to whoever would purchase them. Although descended from a line of heroes, our chevalier eclipsed them all. His inclination for arms discovered itself very early, and an answer which he made to his father, when he was only thirteen years old, was a sufficient presage of his future achievements. His father asked him what kind of life he would chuse, to which he answered, that having derived from his ancestors an illustrious name, and the advantage of many shining examples of heroic virtue, he hoped he should at least be permitted to imitate them.