In this month of April, Edward king of England died,—as some said, of an apoplexy, and others, that he was poisoned by drinking too much of the good wine of Challuau, which he had received as a present from the king of France. It was said, however, that he was not carried off immediately, but lived long enough to secure the crown to his eldest son. In this same month, died also the lady Margaret of Bourbon, countess of Bresse, wife to Philip of Savoy, of a lingering illness, which her physicians could not check: it was a pity, for she was a good lady, full of virtue, and much beloved.
On the 3d of May, by orders from the king, all ranks in Paris, from the highest to the lowest, went in solemn procession to St Denis, to pray for the prosperity of the king, the queen, the dauphin, and all the princes of the blood, and also to return thanks for the flourishing appearance of the fruits of the earth.
Monday the 2d of June, the dauphiness made her public entry into Paris about five o'clock in the afternoon, accompanied by the lady of Beaujeu, and many others. She entered by the gate of St Denis, where three stages were erected: on the uppermost was a representation of the king, as sovereign: on the second were two beautiful children, dressed in white damask, to represent the dauphin and the lady Margaret of Flanders: on the lower one were representations of the lord and lady of Beaujeu. On each side of the different personages were hung escutcheons of their arms emblazoned. There were likewise four figures, to represent the peasantry, the clergy, the tradesmen and the nobility, each of whom addressed a couplet to her as she passed. All the streets were hung with tapestry, and there were other pageants allegorical to the dauphin and dauphiness. In honour of her arrival, all the prisoners in the different gaols were set at liberty, and several new corporations of trades were made.
On the 7th of June was a great thunder storm at Paris between eight and nine at night. A flash of lightning set fire to the steeple of the church of St Genevieve, burnt all the wood-work, which had lasted nine hundred years, and melted all the covering of lead, and the bells within the steeple. It was supposed that one hundred weight of lead on the steeple was destroyed,—so that it was pitiful to see the damages done.
During the month of July, the marriage-feast of the dauphin and the lady Margaret of Flanders was celebrated in the town of Amboise; at which were present the most noble persons of the kingdom, who had come thither by the king's orders, from the cities and principal towns of his realm.
CHAP. XXXIV.
THE HOLY AMPULLA IS BROUGHT FROM THE CHURCH OF SAINT REMY AT RHEIMS TO THE KING OF FRANCE, WHEN DANGEROUSLY ILL, AT PLESSIS LE PARC.—THE DEVOUT DEATH OF LOUIS XI.—HE IS BURIED IN THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY AT CLERY.—MAY GOD PARDON HIS SOUL!
In the course of this year, the king determined to have the holy ampulla brought to him from Rheims: which had descended filled with oil, by the Divine grace, by means of a white dove, in the year 500, to good St Remy of Rheims, to anoint and consecrate king Clovis of France, the first Christian king, who died in the same year,—and his body is interred in the church of St Genevieve at Paris.
This sacred ampulla had remained in the church of St Remy, for 983 years, when it was taken thence by Claude de Montfaulcon, governor of Auvergne, whom the king had especially commissioned for the purpose. It was brought to Paris on the last day of July, and was carried with much reverence, and in procession, to repose in the holy chapel of the palace, where it remained until the morrow, and was then conveyed to the king at Plessis le Parc. It was accompanied by the rods of Moses and Aaron, and the cross of victory, which had been sent to the good king St Charlemagne, that he might obtain a conquest over the infidels. They had remained undisturbed in the holy chapel, with other relics, until they were removed, on this first day of August, by the bishop of Sees, and others appointed by the king to bring them to him at Plessis.
The 25th of August, the king's illness so much increased that he lost his speech and senses. News was brought to Paris, on the 27th, that he was dead, by letters from master John Briçonnet, which obtained belief, from the writer being a man of honesty and credit. In consequence of this intelligence, the provost and sheriffs, to provide against accidents, ordered a strong guard at each of the gates, to prevent any persons from entering into or going out of the town. This caused it to be currently rumoured that the king was dead, but the report was unfounded,—for he recovered his speech and senses, ate and drank, and lingered on until the 30th of August, when, between six and seven in the evening, he gave up the ghost; and his corpse was instantly abandoned by those who had been so obsequious to him during his life.