There were present at St Denis the duke and duchess of Orleans, the counts of Angoulême and of Dunois, the lords de Brosses and de Château-brun, the master of the horse, the bishop of Paris, the court of parliament, the bishop of Bayeux. The bishops of Troyes and of Chartres performed the service, and the bishop of Orleans the office. The bishops of Angers, of Beziers, of Senlis, of Meaux, the abbots of St Germain, of St Magloire, of St Estienne de Dijon, of St Victor, attended the mass,—but only one grand mass was celebrated for the king; after which, the body was interred in the chapel of his grandfather, between the body of the latter and that of his father.
The choir of the church was all hung with black velvet,—and there was a most sumptuous catafalque in the center of the choir, under which was placed the body of the late king, surrounded with as many wax tapers as it could hold. The corpse was in a cyprus-wood coffin, inclosed in another of lead, and then in another of common wood, having a representation of the said king lying between two sheets on a mattress on the pall. This figure was dressed in a tunic and mantle of velvet, embroidered with flowers de luce, lined with ermine, holding in one hand a sceptre of the hand of Justice, and in the other a larger sceptre: it had a crown on the head, under which was a pillow of velvet.
The king's officers had borne a canopy over the coffin, on eight lances, as far as the Croix-ou-Fiens, where they were met by eight of the benedictine monks from St Denis, who would have taken their places; but the equerry refused to allow it, as he said that it was not customary,—for that the canopy was only borne over the body when passing through towns, but not when in the open country.
When the body arrived at the gate of the town of St Denis, it was set down, when three prayers were chaunted over it, as was done at every place where they halted, and then the canopy was given up to the monks, who bore it over the body, but in such wise that every one could plainly see the figure on the coffin.
After the interment, a serious quarrel arose between the master of the horse and the monks of the abbey, respecting the pall that was under the representation of the king, which the master of the horse claimed as his fee; when at last the pall was deposited in the hands of the count de Dunois and the chancellor of France,—when it was determined by them, that the pall, which was of very magnificent cloth of gold and crimson, should remain in the abbey of St Denis, it being declared on behalf of the grand master, that whatever claim he might have to it he gave up to the church of St Denis.
The canopy, with the velvet, wax, and every thing else remained to the church, without any dispute, excepting the velvet and white cross which covered the car: these were carried away.
The count de Dunois and the grand master visited all the chapels wherein were interred any bodies of saints, and presented to each velvet and satin sufficient to cover two altars from top to bottom.
In the middle of the high mass, was a sermon preached by master Thomas de Courcelles, doctor in divinity,—at which all the people bewailed and prayed for the defunct, who was then styled, 'Charles, the Seventh of the Name, most Victorious King of France.'
When the body was let down into the vault, the heralds shouted, 'Long live king Louis! May God have mercy on the soul of Charles the Victorious!' Then the ushers and sergeants broke their rods, and threw them into the grave.