2o6 THE WILD-FLOWERS OF SELBORNE 



the unfortunate captives were the youthful son of the 

 Duke de Montmorency, and the French painter, Louis 

 Garneray, who spent eight weary years on board the 

 prison-ship Prothee before he was released on parole. 



Many were the devices resorted to by the unfortu- 

 nate captives in order to while away the tedious time. 

 A large number of French names carved on the stone 

 walls of the Norman keep still bear eloquent witness 

 to the irksomeness of their captivity. Some of the 

 prisoners were very expert carvers, and fashioned out 

 of beef and mutton bones the most beautiful toys. 

 Some of these trinkets, carved only with a penknife, 

 are still in existence in the neighbourhood — models 

 of ships, even of three-deckers with sails and colours 

 flying, windmills, tops, dolls, spinning-wheels, small 

 bone playing-cards in bone boxes, dominoes, and 

 chessmen, of which the writer has some fine speci- 

 mens. Others would make out of the straw supplied 

 for their bedding beautiful little boxes and watch- 

 cases, and straw mats of geometrical design. Occa- 

 sionally, once or twice a week perhaps, a portion of 

 the castle enclosure would be thrown open to visitors, 

 many of whom were eager to purchase from the 

 prisoners their toys and trinkets. On these occasions 

 kindly disposed people would bring with them large 

 bones and other material for carving, which they 

 would pass to these skilful mechanics through the 

 wooden palisade which fenced off their quarters. 

 Some of the prisoners, too, made large quantities of 

 most delicate lace, for which they found a ready 

 market among the fair visitors to the castle. Owing, 

 however, to some trade jealousy, the authorities en- 

 deavoured to stop its manufacture, and issued an 

 order that within fourteen days all lace-making imple- 



