Lives of Fair and Gallant Ladies. Vol 1Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille
History
Lives of Fair and Gallant Ladies. Vol 1
Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille
Erotic literature
So being come to the mole in this gallant array, he did there land and
all we his suite with him, at a spot where the Viceroy had commanded
to have ready horses and coaches for to receive us and carry us to the
town. And truly we did there find an hundred steeds,—coursers, jennets,
Spaniards, barbs and other horses, each finer than the other, with
saddle-cloths of velvet all wrought with broidery, some silver and
some gold. He that would ride a-horse did so, and he that preferred to
go in a coach, found one ready, for there were a score there of the
finest and richest, excellently horsed and drawn by the finest cattle
ever seen. There too stood many great Princes and Lords, as well of the
Kingdom of Naples as of Spain, which did welcome the Grand Prior most
honourably on behalf of the Viceroy. On landing he did mount a Spanish
horse, the finest I have seen for many a long day, which the Viceroy
did after present to him; and did manage him right well, and make him
perform some brilliant curvets, as was much spoke of at the time.
The Prince, who was a very good horseman, as good indeed as he was a
seaman, did make a very fine show thus mounted; and he did display his
horse’s paces to the best advantage, and in most graceful style, seeing
he was one of the handsomest Princes of his day, and one of the most
pleasant and accomplished, and of a fine, tall and active figure,—which
is a rare thing with suchlike great personages. Thus was he conducted
by all these Lords and many another noble gentleman to the Viceroy’s
Palace, where this last did await him and paid him all possible honour,
and lodged him in his own house, and did feast him most sumptuously,
both him and all his band. This he was well able to do, seeing he did
profit him by twenty thousand crowns through this journey. We were, I
daresay, a couple of hundred gentlemen that were with him, Captain of
galleys and others, and were lodged with most of the great Lords of the
city, and that most sumptuously.
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