In the Province of Dauphiny in France there were in the fifteenth century great and noble families from which had sprung many virtuous and noble knights, and of these families none was more noble than the family of Bayard.

When Lord Bayard, the head of the family, was an old man and knew that he must soon go the way of his fathers, he called to him his four sons and asked each to tell him what he desired to be. The eldest chose to dwell at home on the estates which would come to him by inheritance, and the two youngest were to go into the service of the church; but when it came to the turn of the second son to speak, he told his father that he wanted to be a knight and follow the pursuit of arms. That was Pierre, who was then thirteen years old, and his eyes sparkled and his face glowed with eagerness as he spoke. His father was well pleased that he should choose this noble calling, and thus follow in the line of his brave forefathers, and promised that he would let him carry out his wish.

The father sent one of his serving men the very next day to the Bishop of Grenoble, his brother-in-law, praying him to come at his good pleasure to his castle. The good bishop came immediately, and sat down the next night at a banquet which had been prepared to welcome him. As was the custom of those days, the sons of the house waited upon their elders at table, and so well and gracefully did Pierre serve that he drew praise from all who were present.

When the meal was concluded, Lord Bayard told the company that his second son desired to become a knight.

"I must therefore," he said, "as the first step place him in the household of some prince or lord, that he may learn to behave himself with courtesy, and that when he is older he may be trained in the use of arms. I pray you to advise me where I may best place him."

One guest recommended this house and another that one for the lad, but the bishop counseled that he be sent to the Duke of Savoy.

"You know how friendly the duke is to our house. I believe he will right willingly take the lad as one of his pages. He is now at Chambéry for a visit; to-morrow, if it please thee, I will ride thither with the boy and present him as page to the duke. Be at no expense for him; I myself will equip and mount him."

The counsel of the bishop was approved by all the company, and the aged father led the boy to the bishop and delivered him over to him with tears in his eyes, saying, "Take him, my lord, and I pray God that wherever you may place the boy he may do you honor."

The bishop, true to his promise, sent for his costumer, who worked all night getting an outfit ready for the lad, and on the morrow all was prepared. After breakfast Pierre was shown his new charger, which had been led into the courtyard. All the men of the castle had gathered to bid the boy farewell, and they watched to see him mount. The horse, accustomed to a man's weight, plunged and reared when Pierre leaped into the saddle, and all the company thought he would throw the boy. But Pierre gave him a touch with the spurs, and brought him with a gallop round the courtyard as if he were a man of thirty.

With tears of pride in his eyes the father took an affectionate leave of him and gave him his blessing, and his mother came from the tower window where she had been watching him and gave him wise counsel, saying:

"My child, you are going into the service of a noble prince. I charge you to observe three things, which if you do, be assured you shall prosper. First, before all things, love, fear, and serve God. Again, be gentle and courteous to all men, keeping thyself from pride and being ever loyal in word and deed. And third, be charitable to the poor and needy. And may we always have good report of you, my son."

The good lady drew out of her sleeve a little purse in which there were six crowns of gold and one of silver, and presented it to her son. He took leave of her tenderly and gratefully, and rode away, but for all the sorrow of parting, as he felt the charger under him and rode along the road to Chambéry with his uncle, Pierre Bayard thought himself in Paradise.

When they came to Chambéry, the bishop and his nephew were graciously received by the duke, who pressed them to dine with him. The boy Bayard waited upon his uncle so gracefully at the table that the duke observed it and asked who the lad was.

"He is my nephew, sir, whom I have brought to present to you, if his services would be of use to you," replied the bishop.

"Truly I should be a strange man and hard to please, if I refused such a gift; and if he walks in the steps of his fathers, he will be a brave man,"said the duke, looking at the handsome, yellow-haired child.

So Bayard became a page in the duke's household, and there he remained for the space of half a year. He served the lords and ladies well and with spirit; he jumped and wrestled and exercised with the other lads; and above all he excelled in horsemanship, which is most needful in a knight.

Then the duke determined to go and visit the king of France at Lyons, where he was visiting with his princes and nobles and leading a merry life with jousts and tournaments daily, and he took Bayard with him as one of his attendants. The king, hearing that the Duke of Savoy was coming to Lyons, sent a count of his household to meet him on the road and welcome him. The count and his attendants met the party when they were some two leagues away from Lyons, and as they rode the count spoke of the yellow-haired page who rode before him.

"My friend," he said, "you have there a page who rides a goodly steed, and what is more, he rides it prettily."

"On my faith," said the duke, "it is scarcely six months since the Bishop of Grenoble made me a present of him, and yet I have never seen a youth of his age disport himself more bravely or with better grace, both on horseback and on foot. He comes from a race of brave and bold gentlemen, whom I believe he will resemble."

Then he said to the boy: Spur, Bayard, spur! Give your horse a gallop!"

The boy, liking nothing better, galloped off instantly, and came back a moment later panting from his swift run.

"Upon my word, my lord," said the count admiringly, "that is indeed a youth who, to my thinking, will make a noble knight if he lives. I advise you to give both horse and page as present to the king, for he will be much pleased thereat, the horse being strong and handsome, and the page, in my eyes, still better."

So it came about that Bayard was transferred to the service of the king, where he remained three years as page, until he was seventeen. Then he exchanged the page's dagger for the sword of the esquire, and was sent into Italy to a garrison of men at arms to gain practice in arms.