Part 9 (1/2)
At these words, he called for his strong box, and showed hiold Lord Fale the refusal of so advantageous an offer, gave Monsieur de Colish court, an account of it; nor did Monsieur de Coe fail to represent properly the merit of such a refusal to the French court
Hyde Park, every one knows, is the pro the fine weather, as that pronificence and beauty: every one, therefore, who had either sparkling eyes, or a splendid equipage, constantly repaired thither; and the king seelasses were then a late invention
[Coaches were first introduced into England in the year 1564
Taylor, the water poet, (Works, 1630, p 240,) says,--”One Williaht first the use of coaches hither; and the said Boonen was Queen Elizabeth's coache ht of them put both horse and man into amazement” Dr Percy observes, they were first drawn by two horses, and that it was the favourite Buckinghaan to draith six horses About the same time, he introduced the sedan 'The Ultireat lass coaches He says, ”I could wish her (i e
Mary Carleton's) coach (which she said land, and sent it over to her, lasse, very stately; and her pages and lacquies were of the same livery,) was co shut up in the almost their whole persons, to the conveniences ofreance, the Chevalier de Graht be invented, which should partake of the ancient fashi+on, and likewise prove preferable to the modern; he therefore sent away Termes privately with all the necessary instructions to Paris: the Duke of Guise was likewise charged with this co by the favour of Providence escaped the quicksand, in a ant and nificent calash that had ever been seen, which the Chevalier presented to the king
The Chevalier de Graiven orders that fifteen hundred louis should be expended upon it; but the Duke of Guise, as his friend, to oblige him, laid out two thousand All the court was in ad, char which could afford hie it: he would not, however, accept a present of so much value, but upon condition that the Chevalier should not refuse another froe ht prove fortunate for her, wished to appear in it first, with the duchess of York Lady Castle that it set off a fine figure to greater advantage than any other, desired the king to lend her this wonderful calash to appear in it the first fine day in Hyde Park: Miss Stewart had the same wish, and requested to have it on the same day As it was impossible to reconcile these two Goddesses, whose for was very much perplexed
Lady Castlemaine ith child, and threatened to miscarry, if her rival was preferred; Miss Stewart threatened, that she never would be with child, if her request was not granted This reat, that she had almost kept her word; and it was believed that this triumph cost her rival soh she had no share in these broils, had no objection to the diverted with this circumstance, she took occasion to joke with the Chevalier de Gra such coive him, in the presence of the whole court, those praises which so nificent a present deserved: ”But how coh you are at so great an expense? for I ale foothts you ho link”
”Madam,” said he, ”the Chevalier de Grammont hates pomp: my linkboy, of whom you speak, is faithful to my service; and besides, he is one of the bravest fellows in the world Your Majesty is unacquainted with the nation of link-boys: it is a charht without being surrounded by a dozen of them The first time I became acquainted with them, I retained all that offered me their services; so that when I arrived at Whitehall, I had at least two hundred about ht was new; for those who had seen me pass with this illuentles I had thrown a beaten three or four of his companions, I retained him for his valour As for the parade of coaches and footmen, I despise it: I have someti a single servant in livery, exceptout laughing, ”a chaplain in your livery! he surely was not a priest?” ”Pardon me, mada the Biscayan jig” ”Chevalier,” said the king, ”pray tell us the history of your chaplain Poussatin”
CHAPTER EIGHTH FUNNY ADVENTURE OF THE CHAPLAIN POUSSATIN--THE STORY OF THE SIEGE OF LERIDA--MARRIAGE OF THE DUKE OF YORK, AND OTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE ENGLISH COURT
”Sir,” said the Chevalier de Graed Lerida: the place in itself was nothing; but Don Gregorio Brice who defended it, was so He was one of those Spaniards of the old staether, and es of Granada: he suffered us to make our first approaches to the place without the least molestation
The Marshal de Graovernor who at first , and burns his suburbs in order to enerally orio de Brice's politeness as no good olory, and elated with the ca, to insult both the place and the governor, ordered the trenches to be iment, at the head of which marched four-and-twenty fiddlers, as if it had been to a wedding
”Night approaching, ere all in high spirits: our violins were playing soft airs, and ere co about the poor governor and his fortifications, both of which we promised ourselves to take in less than twenty-four hours
This was going on in the trenches, e heard an ominous cry from the ramparts, repeated two or three times, of, 'Alerte on the walls!'
This cry was followed by a discharge of cannon and orous sally, which, after having filled up the trenches, pursued us as far as our grand guard
”The next day Gregorio Brice sent by a trumpet a present of ice and fruit to the Prince de Conde, hu the serenade which he was pleased to favour him with, as unfortunately he had no violins; but that if the reeable to hi as he did hiood as his word; and as soon as we heard, 'Alerte on the walls,' ere sure of a sally, that cleared our trenches, destroyed our works, and killed the best of our officers and soldiers The prince was so piqued at it, that, contrary to the opinion of the general officers, he obstinately persisted in carrying on a siege which was like to ruin his army, and which he was at last forced to quit in a hurry
”As our troops were retiring, Don Gregorio, far froenerally do on such occasions,a respectful co after for Madrid, to give an account of his conduct, and to receive the recompense he had merited Your majesty perhaps will be desirous to knohat reception poor Briceperformed the most brilliant action the Spaniards could boast of in all the war--he was confined by the inquisition”
”How!” said the Queen Dowager, ”confined by the inquisition for his services!” ”Not altogether for his services,” said the Chevalier; ”but without any regard to his services, he was treated in the allantry, which I shall relate to the King presently
”The ca home, not overloaded with laurels; but as the Prince de Conde had laid up a great store on forreat projects in his head, he soon forgot this triflingthe e Weall over France, in order to prevent othersby it, for notwithstanding we treated ourselves freely in our own ballads, others were composed in Paris in which ere ten tinan upon a holy-day: a co in the middle of the street, out of respect to the prince came to dance under his s: Monsieur Poussatin, in a little black jacket, danced in the middle of this conized hi about: the prince was charmed with his humour and activity After the dance, I sent for him, and inquired who he was: 'A poor priest, at your service, my lord,' said he: 'oing into Catalonia to serve in the infantry, for, God be praised, I can march very well on foot; but since the war is happily concluded, if your lordshi+p pleases to take me into your service, I would follow you everywhere, and serve you faithfully' 'Monsieur Poussatin,' said I, 'reat occasion for a chaplain; but since you are so well disposed towards me, I will take you into my service'
”The Prince de Conde, as present at this conversation, was overjoyed ata chaplain As poor Poussatin was in a very tattered condition, I had no ti him a spare livery of one of the Marshal de Graet up behind the prince's coach, as like to die with laughing every time he looked at poor Poussatin's uncanonical mien in a yellow livery
”As soon as we arrived in Paris, the story was told to the Queen, who at first expressed some surprise at it: this, however, did not prevent her fro to see e to see ecclesiastics dance, as to see them in livery
”Poussatin perforreat sprightliness, she could not bear the odour which his violent an to pray for relief; for he had alot the better of all the perfumes and essences hich they were fortified: Poussatin, nevertheless, retired with a great deal of applause, and some louis d'or