Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 06
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Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 06
Literature -- Collections
He never failed to say and keep up his paternosters every morning,
whether he remained in the house, or mounted his horse and went out to
the field to join the army. It was a common saying among the soldiers
that one must "beware the paternosters of the Constable." For as
disorders were very frequent, he would say, while mumbling and muttering
his paternosters all the time, "Go and fetch that fellow and hang me him
up to this tree;" "Out with a file of harquebusiers here before me this
instant, for the execution of this man!" "Burn me this village
instantly!" "Cut me to pieces at once all these villain peasants, who
have dared to hold this church against the king!" All this without ever
ceasing from his paternosters till he had finished them--thinking that
he would have done very wrong to put them off to another time; so
conscientious was he!
* * * * *
TWO FAMOUS ENTERTAINMENTS
From 'Lives of Courtly Women'
I have read in a Spanish book called 'El Viaje del Principe' (The Voyage
of the Prince), made by the King of Spain in the Pays-Bas in the time of
the Emperor Charles, his father, about the wonderful entertainments
given in the rich cities. The most famous was that of the Queen of
Hungary in the lovely town of Bains, which passed into a proverb, "Mas
bravas que las festas de Bains" (more magnificent than the festivals of
Bains). Among the displays which were seen during the siege of a
counterfeit castle, she ordered for one day a fête in honor of the
Emperor her brother, Queen Eleanor her sister, and the gentlemen and
ladies of the court.
Toward the end of the feast a lady appeared with six Oread-nymphs,
dressed as huntresses in classic costumes of silver and green,
glittering with jewels to imitate the light of the moon. Each one
carried a bow and arrows in her hand and wore a quiver on her shoulder;
their buskins were of cloth of silver. They entered the hall, leading
their dogs after them, and placed on the table in front of the Emperor
all kinds of venison pasties, supposed to have been the spoils of the
chase. After them came the Goddess of Shepherds and her six nymphs,
dressed in cloth of silver, garnished with pearls. They wore
knee-breeches beneath their flowing robes, and white pumps, and brought
in various products of the dairy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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