Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy, taking a walk one evening at Bruges,
found in the public square a man laying on the ground, where he was
soundly asleep. He had him taken up, and carried to his palace, where,
after they had stripped him of his rags, and put on him a fine shirt,
and a nightcap, placed him in one of the prince's beds. This drunkard
was much surprized, when he awoke, to find himself in a beautiful
alcove, surrounded by officers more richly dressed the one than the
other. They asked him, what suit his highness wished to put on that day?
This demand completed his confusion; but after a thousand positive
assurances he gave them, that he was but a poor cobbler, and not at all
a prince, he resolved quietly to bear all the honours they loaded him
with,--suffered them to dress him, appeared in public,--heard mass in
the Ducal chapel, and kissed the mass-book,--in a word, they made him
perform all the usual ceremonies: he went to a sumptuous table, then to
cards, to the walk, and other entertainments. After supper they gave him
a ball. The good man having never found himself at a like feast, took
freely the wine they offered to him, and so abundantly that he got brave
and drunk. It was then the catastrophe of the comedy was brought about.
Whilst he was sleeping himself sober, the duke had him clothed again
with his rags, and carried back to the place from whence he had been
taken at first. After having passed there all night in a sound sleep, he
awoke, and went home to relate to his wife, as a dream of his, what in
effect had really happened to him.
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