BURGUNDY: THE
SPLENDID DUCHY

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

IMPRESSIONS OF PROVENCE. FOOLSCAP QUARTO, 12/6 NET

SONGS OF OLD FRANCE. CROWN 8VO. 6/- NET

LONDON: FRANCIS GRIFFITHS

MONT BEUVRAY.

Frontispiece

BURGUNDY: THE
SPLENDID DUCHY

STORIES AND SKETCHES IN SOUTH BURGUNDY

BY

PERCY ALLEN

AUTHOR OF "IMPRESSIONS OF PROVENCE" ETC.

Fully illustrated with eight water-colour and 86 line drawings
by Miss Marjorie Nash

LONDON

FRANCIS GRIFFITHS

34 MAIDEN LANE, STRAND, W.C.

1912

[TO M.]

TANT L VAUT, the Virgin name, Five hundred years ago, On stately hall and tower aflame, Blazoned in gold, bade all acclaim Her worth in high Rochepot.

Here above London's roar I sit, To watch the splendour flow O'er myriad roof-trees glory-lit, And read,—with golden fingers writ— A sunset's TANT L VAUT.

Darkness and stars begin to be, Light leaves the world below; Turning, a gracious form I see, And vesper music wakes in me— Ma deboinaire, très doulce amie, Seule Etoile, TANT L VAUT.

[PREFACE]

I have to thank very cordially my friend, Monsieur François Fertiault, for his kindness in permitting me to make use of the valuable material comprised in his charming books upon rural Burgundy; and I have also to thank M. A. de Charmasse and his publisher, M. Dejussieu, of Autun, for placing at my disposal the information contained in that author's Précis Historique to "Autun et ses Monuments" and in the archeological portion of the same work, written by the late M. H. de Fontenay, a book which I recommend to those who wish to study fully the stones of that interesting city.

I have also to acknowledge the kindness of Mm. Mame & Fils, of Tours, in granting permission to translate the Burgundian legends, "Le Creux du Diable," "Le Puits de St. Martin," and "L'Abbaye de Ste. Marguerite," by the late Abbé B——, published by that house: also the courtesy of M. Gabriel Hanotaux, of the French Academy, and of his publishers, Messrs. Hachette, of Paris, in permitting the reproduction of a portrait of Philippe le Bon (p. 191) from his recent work on Jeanne d'Arc. My thanks are due, too, to M. Perrault-Dabot, who kindly allows me to make use of the engraving of Cluny (p. 72) from his work "L'Art en Bourgogne."

If the support given to this volume on South Burgundy justifies me in doing so, I hope, before very long, to follow it by a second, dealing with the northern part of the duchy.

Among the works consulted in writing this book are the following:—