In this state was he solemnly carried to the church of Nôtre Dame, where a mass for the defunct was chaunted by the patriarch of Constantinople. When the service was finished, the procession moved to St Denis. The body was borne by the attendants of his stable as far as a cross, half way between Paris and St Denis, when the measurers and carriers of salt in Paris took it from them, having each a flower de luce on his breast. They carried the body to a cross near St Denis, where the abbot, attended by his monks and all the clergy of the town, with great multitudes of people bearing lighted torches, received it. Thence with chaunting and singing, recommending his soul to God, was it carried to the church of St Denis. During this whole time, neither the duke of Bedford nor any of those before mentioned quitted the body. On the body being placed in the church, another service was celebrated by the patriarch of Constantinople; but a night intervened between the two services. No one but the duke of Bedford went to the offering. There were full twenty thousand pounds of wax expended at these two services; and sixteen thousand persons attended the almsgiving, when three blancs of royal money were given to each. When the last service had been performed in the church of Saint Denis, and the king's body laid in the sepulchre of his forefathers, the patriarch gave his benediction in the usual manner,--on which the late king's ushers at arms broke their staves and threw them into the grave, and turned their maces downward. Then Berry, king at arms, attended by many heralds and poursuivants, cried over the grave, 'May God shew mercy and pity to the soul of the late most puissant and most excellent Charles VI. king of France, our natural and sovereign lord!' Immediately after Berry cried, 'May God grant long life to Henry by the grace of God king of France and of England, our sovereign lord!' which cry he again repeated. After this, the sergeants at arms, and ushers, returned their maces, and shouted together, 'Long live the king! long live the king!' When the ceremony was over, the lords returned to Paris, which had been placed under the guard of sir Guy le Bouteiller and the bastard de Thian, with a very large body of men at arms. They had also under their command different detachments in the environs, with able captains, to prevent any surprise or attempts of the Dauphinois. The duke of Bedford was now regent and sole governor of the realm, in the name of his nephew the young king Henry, in so far as to those parts under his obedience. Thus ended the life of the most noble king Charles in the 43rd year of his reign, during great part of which the kingdom was sorely troubled and ruined by the continual quarrels of the princes of his blood with each other. May God, through his infinite goodness, have mercy on and receive his soul! CHAP. II.