Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte (Maincy, France); France -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
Wherefore on the Feast of the Epiphany, Sieur Guillaume Chappedelaine,
clothed in his dalmatica, holding in his hand a palm-branch in lieu
of a sceptre, took his place in the cathedral choir, beneath a canopy
of cloth of gold. Meanwhile, out in the sacristy, there came forth
three canons, wearing crowns upon their heads. One was robed in white,
another in red, the third in black. They stood for the three kings
of the East, the Magi, and, going down to that part of the church
which represents the foot of the cross, they chanted the Gospel of
St. Matthew. A deacon, bearing at the end of a pole five lighted
candles, to symbolize the miraculous star which led the Magi to
Bethlehem, ascended the great nave and entered the choir. The three
canons followed him singing, and, when they reached this passage in
the gospel, _Et intrantes domum, invenerunt puerum cum Maria, matre
ejus, et procidentes adoraverunt eum,_ they stopped in front of Sieur
Guillaume Chappedelaine and bowed low before him. Then came three
children, bearing salt and spices, which Sieur Guillaume graciously
received after the manner of the Infant King who had accepted the
myrrh, the gold and the frankincense of the kings of this world. After
this divine service was celebrated with due devoutness.
In the evening the canons were invited to sup with the King of the
Epiphany. Sieur Guillaume's house was close against the apse of the
cathedral. It was recognizable by the golden hood on a shield of stone
which adorned its low door. That night the great hall was strewn with
foliage and lit by twelve torches of fir-wood. The whole Chapter
sat down to the table, groaning beneath a lamb cooked whole. There
were present Sieurs Jean Bruant, Thomas Alépée, Simon Thibouville,
Jean Coquemard, Denys Petit, Pierre Corneille, Barnabe Videloup and
François Pigouchel, canons of Saint-Pierre, Sieur Thibault de Saugles,
knight and hereditary lay canon, and, at the bottom of the table,
Pierrolet, the little clerk, who, although he could not write, was
Sieur Guillaume's secretary and served him at Mass. He looked like a
girl dressed up as a boy. He it was who on Candlemas Day appeared as
an angel. It was also the custom on Ember Wednesday in December, when
the coming of the Angel Gabriel to announce to Mary the mystery of
the Incarnation was read at Mass, for a young girl to be placed on a
platform and for a child with wings to tell her that she was about to
become the mother of the Son of God. A stuffed dove was suspended over
the girl's head. For two years Pierrolet had represented the angel of
the Annunciation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account