A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 4Guizot, François
History
A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 4
Guizot, François
France -- History
of artillery and the cheers of the multitude, shouting, “Hurrah! for the
emperor and the king!” The dauphin, Henry, and his brother Charles, Duke
of Orleans, arriving boot and spur from Provence, came up at this moment,
shouting likewise, “Hurrah! for the emperor and the king!” “Charles V.
dropped on his knees,” says the narrator, and embraced the two young
princes affectionately. They all repaired together to the house prepared
for their reception, and, after dinner, the emperor, being tired, lay
down to rest on a couch. Queen Eleanor, before long, went and tapped at
his door, and sent word to the king that the emperor was awake. Francis,
with the Cardinal de Lorraine and the Constable de Montmorency, soon
arrived. On entering the chamber, he found the emperor still lying down
and chatting with his sister the queen, who was seated beside him on a
chair. At sight of the king Charles V. sprang from the couch and went
towards him without any shoes on. “Well, brother,” said the king, “how
do you feel? Have you rested well?” “Yes,” said Charles; “I had made
such cheer that I was obliged to sleep it off.” “I wish you,” said
Francis, “to have the same power in France as you have in Flanders and in
Spain;” whereupon he gave him, as a mark of affection, a diamond valued
at thirty thousand crowns, and having on the ring in which it was set
this inscription: “A token and proof of affection” (Dilectionis testis
et exemplum). Charles put the ring on his finger; and, taking from his
neck the collar of the order (the Golden Fleece) he was wearing, he put
it upon the king’s neck. Francis did the converse with his own collar.
Only seven of the attendants remained in the emperor’s chamber; and there
the two sovereigns conversed for an hour, after which they moved to the
hall, where a splendid supper awaited them. After supper the queen went
in person to see if the emperor’s room was ready; she came back to tell
him when it was, and Charles V. retired. Next morning, July 16, Francis
went to see him again in his room; they heard mass together; Charles
re-embarked the same day for Spain; Francis I. went and slept, on the
17th, at Nimes; and thus ended this friendly meeting, which left, if not
the principal actors, at any rate the people all around, brimful of
satisfaction, and feeling sure that the truce concluded in the previous
month would really at last be peace. The people are easily deceived; and
whenever they are pleased with appearances they readily take them for
realities.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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