THE LORD AND LADY DE BEAUJEU, AND OTHERS, COME TO PARIS, TO RECEIVE
THE DAUPHINESS.--THE DEATH OF KING EDWARD OF ENGLAND.--THE DEATH OF
THE LADY MARGARET OF BOURBON COUNTESS OF BRESSE.--THE ENTRY OF THE
DAUPHINESS INTO PARIS, AND HER RECEPTION THERE.--THE STEEPLE OF THE
CHURCH OF SAINTE GENEVIEVE BURNT.--THE MARRIAGE OF THE DAUPHIN AND
DAUPHINESS.
On Saturday, the 19th day of April, after Easter, the lord and lady
de Beaujeu arrived at Paris, on their way to Picardy, to receive the
dauphiness from the hands of the Flemings, who, by the late treaty of
peace, were to deliver her into the hands of the lord de Beaujeu, as
representative of the king. The lady of Beaujeu made her entry into
Paris, as the king's daughter, and created some new corporations of
trades. She and her lord were handsomely accompanied by great barons
and their consorts, such as the lord d'Albret, the lord de St Valier,
and others,--the lady of the lord high admiral, and many more ladies
and damsels,--who staid three days in Paris, during which they were
magnificently entertained by the cardinal of Bourbon.
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.