[158] The arms of Lourdes consist of three golden towers, the central one bearing an eagle with a silver trout in its mouth, referring to the legend of the fish brought by an eagle during the siege and dropped on the highest point of the castle, still known as the Pierre de l’Aigle. Mirat hastened to send it to Charlemagne as a proof his vivier still furnished good fish.
Bernard, Count of Bigorre, with his wife Clémence, went on a pilgrimage to Notre Dame de Puy in the year 1062, and there consecrated himself and his province to the Virgin, in presence of the chapter and many lords, among whom was Arnaud Guillaume de Barbazan. Moreover, he agreed to pay her a tribute of sixty sols annually.
[159] In the archives of the Tower of London we read: “No. 9 de concedendo Joanni de Bearn armigero, custodiam castri de Lourdes et patriæ de Bigorre, nec non officium senescalciæ; de Bigorre, teste Rege, Westminster, 20 Januarii, 1383.”
[160] The poet Musset thus sings of the Artist-Princess:
“Ce naïf génie
Qui courait à sa mère au doux nom de Marie,
Sur son œuvre chéri, penchant son front rêveur
A la fille des champs qui sauva sa Patrie
Prête sa piété, sa grace et sa pudeur.”—
“This simple genius,