days after in a chamber hung all in doole[334] in their bed, also of dool,
in the bests cloaths which they wor when they ware in life, so that al may
come to sy them in that space. Their is holy water in the roome. The
Dutchesse of Montamor, whiles I was at Poictiers, was thus exposed.
[334] Mourning.
The bairnes of France have the excercise of the tap, the pery,[335] the
cleking,[336] and (instead of our gouf, which they know not) they have
shinyes.
[335] Peg top.
[336] Clekin or Clackan, a small wooden bat in shape like a racquet.
In France they have apples without any seeds in them; also great
Pavies[337] (which is the best sort of Peach) wtout any stone, which they
informed me the curious does thus: they graft a peach in a old stock, the
bow the end of the imp[338] and causes it to enter in a other rift made in
the stock, leaves it like a halfe moon or bow til they think it hes taken,
and then cut it in 2. That halfe imp that was grafted first wt the head
upmost bears peaches according course of nature wt stones in them, the
other, which growes as give ye would say backwardlies bears wtout any
stones. This has bein practicat. They'le impe[339] any tyme of the year in
France.
[337] Sorte de pêche, dont la chair est ferme, et qui ne quitte pas le
noyau.--Littré, _Dict_.
[338] Shoot.
[339] Graft.
About the mids of February was receaved a new fencing master, whom we saw
give his trials: the Mair made a assaut against him first, then the fencing
masters, then some schollers.
A litle after was the Queen mothers panegyrick or _funebre oraison_ made at
St. Pierre in a prodigious confluence of peeple of al ranks; the Intendant,
the President and the Conseillers, the Mair, the Eschiwines,[340] and the
Maison de Ville assisting; also many of the religious orders. The Cordelier
who preached the Advent before and the caresme after made the harangue. He
deduced hir glory and commendation, lo, from that she was Anne of Austria,
which is the province in which standes Vienne, the Metropolis of Germany;
that she was Philip the 3d of Spaines daughter; next that she was Queen or
wife to Lowis the Just, 13 of that name in France; 3dly, that she was
mother to Lewis the 14't, so hopeful a Prince, after she had bein 23 years
barren. Whence he took occasion to show that tho virginity and coelebat was
wery commendable, yet that it was no wayes so in the succession to crounes.
He had also heir a senselese gasconad which nobody approved of, that St.
Gregoire sould say that as far as Kings are exalted above other men, that
in so far the Kings of France ware above al other Kings. In the 4th place
he fand a large elogium to hir in that she falling widdow she becam Regent
of hir sone and the Realme during his minority. Hir last and principal
commendation was that she was a Princesse most devot and religious.
[340] _Echevins_, municipal magistrates.
We was at comoedy, the farce of which was called _Le cocus imaginaire_.
Their ware some honest women craking[341] togither on a tyme, they came
among other things to speak of Eve and hir transgression: on of them cries
furth very gravely, oh, that I was not their, I wish I had given hir a 12
penie loaf on the condition she had not eaten the apples.
[341] Chatting.
Wery rich stuff has bein heard at the examens in Scotland, some ignorant
folks wt their answers being wery pleasant and merry. Mr. J. Smith,
Minister of the Colledge Kirk, examining a bonnet maker, of whilk theirs a
great number in his parish, he speared at him what was effectual calling;
the fellow, clawing his head, replied, the feeklesest[342] calling I keen,
Sir, is my oune. Kid, minister of the Abby Kirk, spearing at one of my Lord
Catheneses servant women what was the Lords Supper. She, thinking that he
had speared what was for my Lords Supper, answered, Sir, or I came out I
set on the pot and My Ledy hes sent pies to the owen. Mr. Robert Blair,
examining a wery ignorant body, speared at hir, wheirof was ye made, Magie;
the folk neir hand rounded and harked in to hir, of the rib of man. Of the
rib of man, Sir. Weil said, Magy, quoth Mr. Rob, I'm very blaith to sie
that ye answer better then ye did the last examen. Who made man then? The
peaple round about whispered to hir, God. God, Sir. Whirof made he him
then, Magy? The peaple cried to hir then, of dust and clay: which she
mistaking or not hearing weil, insteed of saying of dust and clay, she
said, of curds and whey, Sir. I leive to ghesse whither them that ware
their laught or not. Mr. Robert himselfe, tho a very grave man, could not
refrain from smiling.
[342] Feckless, feeble.
In baptizing about the bairnes names ther hes bein mistakes both on the
Ministers hand and the holder ups. Mr. James Vood was baptizing a man at
St. Androws, and instead that he sould have baptized James, he called it
John. The father, a litle bumbaized at this, after the barne is baptized
and that he hes given it back to the midwife, he stands up and looks the
Minister as griveously in the face and sayes, Sir, what sal I do wt 2
Johns, we have a John at home else, Sir? Whow would ye called then, Robin?
quo' the Minister. James, Sir. James be the name of it then.
Mr. Forbes told me that in the hylands once a mans wife was lighter of a
lasse, the goodman was wery sick so that he could not go to church to
present his oune barne, wheiron he desires one of his freinds or gossips to
go and hold it up for him. He bit to have a Scriptural name for his
daughter, at last he agreed upon Rebecca. The man thought he sould remember
weil enough of it. Just as he is holding up the child he forgets the name.
The Minister speares, whow call ye it. Sir, they call it, they cal it, they
call it, shame fall it, ay hir oune selfe hes forgotten it. Yet I remember
that its a name very lik tobacco. Many did laught wery heartylie at this,
only some present remembered of the name, that it was Rebecca.
Having stayed at Poictiers til the 14 of April French accompte: some 20
dayes before that I was beginning to make many acquantances at Poictiers,
to go in and drink wt them, as wt De Gruché, Ingrande La Figonne, both
Advocats sones, and of the Religion, Mr. de Gay, Borseau, Cotibby, etc.
* * * * * [343]
[343] Twenty-seven lines erased in MS.
I was beginning to fall wery idle, so that if I had stayed longer in
Poictiers, I had alwayes engaged myselfe in more company, and so done the
lesse good, whence I have a sort of satisfaction that I came away.
On the day of my departing I took my leive of Mr. Boutiet, Mlle. Alex'r,
and Mlle. Strachan, Mlle. Chabate and hir mother wt some others, then went
to the Chappeau d'or, wheir we dined, Mr. Alex'r, the Doctor, Sandy, Mr. De
la Porte, Mr. Montozon (for Gorein was not in toune), and I. After having
taken my leive of Madame Daillé (himselfe being at Partenay), I took horse
before the buith door and came to the Daufin in the fauxbourgs, wheir I
leapt of. The most part of the Hugonots going to their Temple, their I took
my leive of Sandy'es wife, Madame Peager, and divers others. I took up to
drink wt me Mr. de la Porte, De Gruché, De Gey, De Gaule, Barantons
brother, etc.
* * * * * [344]
[344] Twenty-two lines erased in MS.
On my vakening on the morning, I fand my head sore with the win I had
drunk. For as sick as I was, on I got the morning wt the rest, and came and
dined at Portpile,[345] a litle toune standing 5 leagues (for the leagues
are long their in comparison of them about Paris) from Chattellerauld, on
the Creuse, which runes also by Blanc in Berry.
[345] Le Port de Pilles, Blaeuw's Atlas.
Having ioined their wt the Messenger of Bordeau, who had about 7 Gascons wt
him, and the Messenger of Angoulesme, who had above 12, we was a body above
24. We took al horseback, and having rode the river, tho wery deip, because
the bridge was broken, I fell in wt the Gascons, and was the rarest stuffe
wt them that could be.[346].... Also a gentleman of Sainctonge ioined wt
us, who was coming to Paris.
[346] Eight lines erased in MS.
We came this night to Faux, a litle village standing upon the Lindre, about
7 leagues from Portpile, wher I played one of the Gascons a pret[347] in
the boat; wheir also I saw a reservoire of fisches. Heir I was wery sick,
so that I suped none, as I had not dined, my Poictiers rant incapacitating
me. Yea, I was distempered al the way after, so that I cost not wery dear
to my Messenger for my diet.
[347] Trick.
Nixt morning be 4 howers, having taken horse and riden the water, I came to
Amboise. My heart began to lift in me for Joy when I came to places I had
sein before, for I being wery sick, I fancied now I was almost at the end
of my journy. Amboise is 5 leagues from Faux. We dined at the Cheval rouge,
in the fauxbourgs, this syde of the Loire. I went and saw the Chasteau,
having taken a French Gentleman of Quercy (of which Cahors is the Capital
toune, and Dordogne the cheife river), and another of Thosose[348] wt me,
whose brother, a boy not above 20 years, had already been at the wars
against the Mores of Barbary, and had bein taken prisoner, and was ransoned
by his father for 300 crounes, and was coming in to Paris to get some
employment in the army: such stirring spirits are the French. The Castle I
fand werie strong. I saw their arsenal, wheirs layes the canon of the fort,
the greatest of them carrieng only 10 pound ball. Their best peices ware
transported during the seige of the Rochel; they have never bein brought
back yet. Theirs in the entry King Dagobert and his Queens statues, wt 2
great sheep done _à l'antique_.
[348] Probably for Tholose, Toulouse.
The most considerable thing we saw was the Harts hornes, hung up in the
corner of a chapelle, of a monstrous bignesse, if they be natural. It was
taken some many 100 years ago in a forest of Lorraine towards Allemagne, wt
a collet,[349] about whilk the flesch was so growen that it covered it,
bearing that it belonged to Cæsar. It bit to be wery old when it was taken.
Also we saw some rib bons of it monstrouslie great. Also, I saw the chamber
wheir Mr. Fouquet[350] was detained prisoner when the King brought him from
Nantes.
[349] Collar.
[350] Nicolas Fouquet, 1615-1680, finance minister of Louis XIV.,
fell out of favour, and was arrested at Nantes, 1661.
From Amboise we came to Blois 10 short leagues, wheir I went straight to
the Castle (my remarks of which are elsewheir) to sie these verses of
Faustus above the 1 gate of the castle, which are as followeth:
Hic ubi natus erat dextro Ludovicus Olympo
Sumpsit honorata regiâ[351] sceptra manu,
Foelix quæ tanti fulsit lux nuntia regis,
Gallia non alio principe digna fuit.
1498.
[351] Regiâ for regia. At best the line does not scan.
Next morning we came to St. Laurens, a pretty litle toune, wheir we dined.
In the afternoone we passed by Clery, a litle village 4 leagues from
Orleans, wheir I subscrived my name in the great book of all passengers
(wheir I did read several Scots names, as Liddell, Douglas, etc.). I payed
a collation, which cost me a croune.
At Orleans we quartered at the Charrue, in the fauxbourgs towards Paris. As
soon as I was arrived I went to J. Ogilvies, wheir I fand Madame,
Mademoiselle hir daughter, hir 2 sones, Mr. le Baron, and another Allemand.
They ware wery kind to me, caused me stay and sup wt them. They began and
told me the depart of my Lord Ogilwie from their house very discontent,
denieng J. Ogilvie, who was then in Germany for Mr. le Barons busines, to
have bein given him as his Governor by my L[ord] his father. They would
wery fain had me subscribing a paper (for they brought a notaire wtout my
knowledg), wherin I sould have attested that I had heard from him that he
was his gouwerneur, which they could not all obtain of me,... They pressed
me so sore, making remonstrances, that I would obligd them infinitly by
subscryving it, also that I could incurre no dommage by it, that I was put
to feigne that I had made a solemme oath not to subscryve anything while I
was in France, which stoopt their mouths.
I went wt Mr le Baron D'Angleberne and Christophle, le Barons valet, after
supper to the lodging, whither my Lord was retired, which was at the back
of the Church Ste. Croix, wheir I plead[352] the dissembler. Just at the
port of the toune I meet James Hunter, who had bein at my quarters to sie
me.
[352] Played.
Being on horseback, tomorrow being a Sundy, ere 3 howers of the morning we
dined at Thoury, a little toune 10 leagues from Orleans; came at night wt
foul weather to Estampes, a ruinous toune, their no being so meikle as a
whole house standing in al the fauxbourgs, and that since the late troubles
raised by Mr le Prince,[353] who defended the toune against the King. Their
is one long street in the toune. We lay at the trois Rois. We went to the
Cordeliers Convent to sie that Barbet[354] rought[355] water dog that taks
the Escrevisses,[356] but we could not sie it.
[353] In 1652 the Prince of Condé's troops held Etampes against
Turenne, Louis XIV.'s general.
[354] A kind of dog with long curly hair.
[355] Rought, rough: as he spells laugh, laught.
[356] _Ecrévisses_, crayfish.
Nixt day, having past by a Hermitage, wheir 2 hermites dwells, and seiks
almes of al that passes, we came and dined at Linas, besydes Montlery, 9
leagues from Estampes,...
At 5 oclock the afternoon we entred Paris by the fauxbourgs St. Jacques,
wheir we passed by the Val de Grace, builded by Queen mother of France,
lately dead, wheir hir heart is keeped; by the colledge of Clermont and the
Sorbonne. We quit our horses in the rue St Jacques, neir the Grande Cerf.
We was not weill of our horses when we was oppressed wt a generation of
Hostlers, taverners, and others that lodges folk, some intreating us to
come wt him, some wt him, all promising us good entertainement and
accommodation. I went wt on Mr. Houlle, a barber, who had bein in England,
because he was neir hand, and would stay but that night. Theyr was a French
Gentleman of Lions and a Spaniard, one of the Queens Attendants: this was
my company. That night they told me of the death of Madame de Touraine, and
of the execution of Mr. del Camp, 2 dayes before my coming, a Maister of a
Academy, and that for false mony, for whilk he had bein pardoned once
before.
Nixt day, whilk was the 20 Aprill 1666, French accompt, I came to Mr
Kinlochs, wheir I am informed that the most part of our countrymen are
already goon for England, and that Thirlestan, Gorenberry, and Sandilands
(whom I saw and gave on his desire my new testament) was to go the day
after. Their I was first acquaint wt Mr. Forbes[357] (Cullodin) and
Archibald Hay (Bara's brother). I changed my quarters that same day and
came to Kinlochs.
[357] Probably Duncan Forbes, 1644-1704, M.P. for Nairn, succeeded his
father about 1688, father of President Forbes.
Within a day or 2 I was acquaint wt our Scots Captains, Captain Caddel, C.
Rutherfurd wt a tree leg--his oune was dong from him at the Seige of
Graveling--and Captain Scot, also on C. White.
I saw the fruit they call grenades[358] at Paris. To look to before its cut
most like a citron: being cut at the top its all ful of litle grains as
like rezer[359] berries in the coulor and bigness, yea almost in the tast,
as can be. It was a pretty sight to sy how prettily the grains ware ranked
wtin the skin.
[358] Pomegranates.
[359] Rezer, rizzer, red currant.
Mr. Kinloch on night coming from a burial of a Hugonet Medecin at Charenton
saw a blind man of the Kings vingt (as they call them, tho they be 15
score) play at the Maille[360] to admiration, wheir upon Mr. Grahme took
occasion to tel severall very wonderful things he know of blind men: amongs
others, of one that could play weill to the gooffe, of another that, take
doune 2 watches, mix their works as much as ye like in a hat or any other
thing, and gave them him, he saw put them up as iust every one wt their
oune vorks as any cknock maker shal do. Its common that they know any sort
of silver by a more parfait touche then ordinar, which God is pleased to
impart unto them in recompence of the want of sight.
[360] See p. 20, note 2.
In the renouned toune of Forfar, one who had many kyn having caused milk
them at his door, left the tub wheirin he had milked them by neglect at his
door. By comes a neigbhours cow, whow being damned thirsty, comes the by
way to the tub and takes a wery hearty draught. In the mean tyme comes he
that ought the milk, and seing the damage that was done him, to the Toune
counsel he goes and makes a very greevous complaint, demandes that he that
owes the cow that had drunk his milk pay him it. The counsel was
exceedingly troubled wt this demand, never in their remembrance having had
the like case throrough their fingers. After much debat on both sydes, a
sutor[361] stands up and showes that he had light upon a medium to take up
the difference. He askes whither it was a standing drink or not that the
cow took when she drank out the milk. They replying whow could she take it
but standing, he replyed that it was a most sure thing in that country,
knowen to them all, that none ever payed for a standing drink. They
following this decision assolzied and cleared cow wt its owner from paying
ought, as having taken only a standing drink.
[361] Cobbler.
Its marked of the Aurelians[362] that they cannot drink standing, but that
tho they have never so litle to drink, they most sit doune. Henry the 4't,
as he was a very mery man, being at Orleans at a tyme, and my Lord maire
and his Eschevins being come to sie him, he would try the truth of this. He
first causes remove all the chaires and stools out of the roome, so that
nothing was left that a man could sit doune on: then caused bring in win,
and drinks to my L. mairs good health, then ordains him to pledge him, who
begins to look about him for a seat; no, nay seat for him, wheir on he
began to suspect the King had done it a purpose, he resolves to give his
Majesty sport. He causes on of his Aldermen to sit doune on his knees and
his hand, so that he may drink of his drink to the King on his back
sitting, which he did, and at which the King did laught no litle.
[362] People of Orleans.
In the tyme of our late stirs one of the name of Gordon, called black
Adam,[363] had broken in on a willage in some part of the north, and had
made such a pillage that he had left nothing that was in the least worth
the carrieng away. One of the women of the willage bewailling her lose wt
her neighbours, demanded whow they called that wicked man that that had
them the scaith. They call him Adam, quoth another, I know no more. Adam,
quoth she. Adam began the world and I think he sal end it to.
[363] Edom o' Gordon.
The Irishes hes a damned respect for St. Phatrick, of whom they say, that
if Christ had no bein Christ, St. Phatrick would have bein Christ, as he
ware the most worthy person after Christ.
In the first part of the Romance termed _Almahide_ or _l'esclave Reyne_,
penned by the renouned Scudery,[364] dedicated to Mademoiselle, the Kings
sister, are brought in the toun of Grenade in a uproar by reason of 2
mighty factions, the Abencerrages, of whilk Abindarrays is the head; and
the Zegris, whose head is Mohavide, betuixt whilk 2 the whole toune is
divided. It comes to a cruel fight in the spatious place of Viwaramble,
notwtstanding what the Mufti wt the Alcoran in his hand could say to
dissuade them, who is descryved wt all the rest of the religious orders.
[364] George de Scudéri, 1601-1667.
Amongs the Abencerrages was eminently conspicous the _bell esclave_ on the
head of Moray Zel, the father of Sultane Queenes party, for fear of whom
the queen suffers no small greife. At last by the mediation of the King
they are brought to peace; only Mohavide subornes a Alfaguy to accuse
criminelly the sclave for being found wt armes in his handes against the
law of the Alcoran: whos harangue is answered and refuted by Moray Zell.
The King, after deip deliberation and a magnanimous harangue of the sclave,
himselfe assolyies him. This reased a curiosity in Roderick de Navarre, a
great Spaniard, prisoner of the Mores at that tyme, having sein the valeur
of the sclave, to know what he might be: whence one Ferdnand, a old slave
of the Sultane queen, begines him his story thus:
In the beginning of the reigne of Muleyhassel, whose sone reigneth at
present, the greatest courtier at the court of Grenade was Morayzell; and
tho their ware many brave Dames, yet none could captivate his heart, so
that long tyme he was called le bel insensible. On a tyme on of his friends
called Almadam came and invited him to a feigned fight of canes he was to
make in the sight of his M'ris Semahis, to which at lenth yeelding, he
beates him, and wines the heart of Semahis, and begines to find his oune
touched. Finaly, after a combat for hir betuixt him and Almadan, in which
he overthrowes Almadan, they are solennly married. About the course of a
year after the beautiful Semahis gave a matchlesse daughter, which they
called Almahide, and who at present is _Sultane reyne_, to the valliant
Morayzel, who caused a learned Arabian cast hir Horoscope, who dressing hir
figure, gave the strange answer, that the stars told him that she sould be
fort sage et fort amoureuse, quelle sera en mesme temps femme et fille,
Vierge et mariée, esclave et Reyne, femme d'un esclave et d'un Roy,
heureuse et malheureuse, Mahometane et Chrestienne, innocente et coupable,
et enfin plus estrange exposée an danger d'estre brulée toute vive. De plus
quelle mourra plus contente qu'elle n'aura vescu, et que parmy les debris
d'un Throne et le bouleversement d'un Royaume, son amour et son innocence
la consoleront elle mesme de la perte d'une courrone que la fortune lui
osterea.
This gave no smal astonishment to Moray Zel, who to evite them the better
resolves to send his daughter far from Grenade, to Algiers in Africk, that
if it comes to pass it may light far from Grenade. This he puts in
execution, shipping in the infant at Tarriffe under the tuition of seweral
slaves, but especialy of Fernand de Solis. Them we leive on the sea a while
to tell another rancontre.
About 3 years before the birth of Almahide, Inez d'Arragon bore a son to
hir Lord dom Pedro de Leon, due de Medine Sidonia, in Andalousy, in Spaine.
The childs Horoscope the father caused to be casten by one of Toledo, who
desired him to have a watchful eye of his sone til he pass 20, otherwise he
may be made slave. To obey this the better Dom Pedro thought it not amisse
to remove his sone from the court and city and send him to a plaisant
country house called the Fountaines, wheir we leive the young Ponce de
Leon, and returnes to our Almahide on the sea.
The Ship is sett upon by pirats corsaires, and they are taken al sclaves
and carried to the ile of Dorigni. Heir they stayed a long tyme, and
Almahide growes to some years, and hir beauty growes wondrously wt her,
which the pirats seing they resolve to carry hir to Constantinople to sell
hir to them that plenishes the Turks seraglio. Whiles they are on their way
they are casten away, none saved but Fernand and the litle Almahide, tho
Fernand know not of it; for some shephards finding hir in a sound[365] on
the shore, they carried hir to the Fountaines iust at hand (for their lot
was such to be casten away their), and sold hir to the Duc and Dutchesse.
Dom Fernand, finding that he was in his oune country, and knowing that the
Ducks house, who was his old freind, was neir he went to visit him, wheir
to his amazement he fand the litle Almahide, who came runing to him and
velcomed him. Heir the Duc choses Fernand to be his sones gouueneur, and
appointes the beautiful Almahide to stay their to bear his sone company.
[365] Swoon.
All this while Morayzel could gett no newes of his daughter, which was no
small greife to him. In the interim the fierce and fair Semahis, his Lady,
wt hir charmes conqueres so many souls to hir beck that being ambitious she
brought Grenade in hazard.
After this is intervoven a lang but pretty description of the house called
Fontaines. Love begines incessantly to grow betuixt them. The only obstacle
was she was still mahometane, which the sclaves had infused in hir. Yet on
a tyme young Ponce mocking merrily at the fopperies of the Alcoran she
tournes Christian. On this their love takes new strenthe: on a tyme he
impartes it to hir; from whom at lenth he getts a promise of hir fidelity
to him. After she turned Christian she got the name of Aminte. Theirs sowen
in a pretty dispute that happened, what might be the prettiest of flowers,
and its generally by Aminte also concluded on the Tulip.