THE KING OF FRANCE MAKES HIS PUBLIC ENTRY INTO TURIN, WHERE HE IS
RECEIVED WITH GREAT HONOURS AND SOLEMNITY.
On the 5th of September, as king Charles approached Turin, he was
met by a procession of the clergy, accompanied by the nobles and
inhabitants of that city, the university, and by the noble lady the
princess of Piedmont, most magnificently dressed in cloth of gold
frize, after an antique fashion, ornamented with large sapphires,
diamonds, rubies, and other precious stones. She had on her head a heap
of gold ornaments, intermixed with carbuncles, jacinths, and tufts of
fine gold. On her neck she wore collars, with wide rockets, decorated
with large oriental pearls, having also bracelets of the same. Thus
richly dressed, she was mounted on a palfrey led by six lackeys, well
equipped in cloth of gold, and attended by a company of damsels most
elegantly dressed, and numbers of lords, knights, esquires and pages of
honour.
In this manner did the king enter Turin, the streets of which were
all decorated with cloths of gold or of silk; and in different places
were stages erected, on which mysteries were represented from the
Old and New Testaments, and upon historical subjects. The king was
conducted to the castle, where he was received by the aforesaid lady of
Piedmont, the duke her son, his uncle the lord of Bresse, and other
great barons, to the melodious sounding of trumpets, clarions and other
instruments. Every offer of service and support was made to the king
in his expedition to Naples; and it must not be omitted, that public
tables were laid out in all the principal streets, for the refreshment
of every one that chose to sit down at them.
The ensuing day, the princess of Piedmont led her son into the king's
apartment, where they dined joyously together; and after the repast
the king took his leave of them and the other lords to sup and lie at
Quiers[119], whither orders had been previously sent for his handsome
reception, which was accordingly done: and he was so well pleased that
he remained in Quiers three days amusing himself in feasting, and with
the ladies.[120]