The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-01 00:00:00

FRANCIS I.

At the upper end of the grand gallery a brilliant party
was now assembled. Chief among them, not merely in
point of rank, but for his lofty stature, majestic and grace-
ful deportment, and splendid habiliments, was Francois I.
At this period, the king, who was still under thirty, was in
the full éclat of his manly beauty. So lofty was his stature
that ho towered above the tallest of his courtiers, and his
person was strongly but admirably proportioned. With
his remarkable physiognomy, rendered familiar by the
breathing portrait of Titian, all aro acquainted. All can
conjure up that countenance, so handsome, intellectual,
refined, haughty, sarcastic, of which perhaps the sole fault
was that the principal feature was too prominent—a pecu-
liarity which caused the monarch to be popularly surnamed
Francais le grand nez. The king's eyes were dark and full
of fire, and his clear skin was set off by a pointed beard.
His brown locks were cut short, in consequence of a severe
wound he had received on the head, and as a matter of
course the fashion had been followed by his courtiers. His
teeth were magnificent, and were constantly displayed, his
countenance being rarely without a smile. His expression
was jovial and good-humoured, though somewhat proud and
sarcastic; his deportment full of majesty, but he was so
affable that he set all who approached him at ease. Fami-
liarity, however, was never attempted with Francois, even
by his greatest favourites. In a word, he fully merited the
appellation to which he aspired, and which was univer-
sally bostowed upon him, of the First Gentleman in Europe.
Francois I. was not remarkable merely for his personal
accomplishmentsand graces. His mental qualifications were
of a very high order. If not erudite or profound, he was
well road. He was fond of poetry, and was himself a poet.
He delighted in romances of chivalry, "Lancelot du Lac,"
" Garin le Lorrain," and took for his model the peerless
" Amadis de Gaule." In consequence of his predilection
for them, the favourite books with the gallants and dames
of his court were " Gerard de Nevers," " Pierre do Pro-
vence et la Belle Magueloune," and "Petit Jehan de Sain-
tre." Not merely was Francois 1. a lover of literature, and
a patron of poets and men cf learning, but he warmly en-
couraged the arts, and his court was frequented by the best
painters, sculptors, and architects, whom he brought from
Italy.

Endowed with some of the highest and noblest qualities,
by naturo frank, loyal, and chivalrous, though fiery and
impetuous, passionately fond of war, and always thirsting
for military renown, Francois was a perfect type of the na-
tion over which he ruled, and next to Henri IV., who to a
certain ext'nt based himself upon him, is the best loved of
the French monarchs. His splendid person and noble fea-
tures, his kingly deportment, his accomplishments, his.
martial tastes, his courage, his address in the tilt-yard and
in the management of arms of all kinds, pike, rapier, two-
handed sword, his unequalled skill and grace in horseman-
ship, his jovial humour his bonhomie, his devotion to the

fair sex, are dwelt upon with satisfaction, and his faults
overlooked or forgotten.

On this occasion the splendid person of the king was
displayed to the utmost advantage by his magnificent
attire. His habiliments were of white and blue—the colours
of the Comtesse do Chateaubriand. His doublet,
of azure velvet slashed andpuffed with white silk, glittered
with diamonds, and his girdle was ornamented with
rubies and emeralds. Over his doublet he wore a white
brocade mantle, trimmed with minever, and so fashioned
as to display the puffed sleeves of his jerkin. The handle
and sheath of his poniard were studded with gems, as was
also the guard of his long rapier. His sky-blue velvet
toque was encircled by a white plume, and ornamented
by diamonds. The perfect symmetry of his lower limbs
was displayed by his white silk hose, and below the
knee he wore the Garter, with which he had been in-
vested by Henry VIII. prior to their meeting at the
Field of the Cloth of Gold. His buskins, of blue velvet
slashed with white satin, like his doublet, were orna-
mented with pearls. He was vain of his small feet and
finely-formed bands, and his fingers wero loaded with
magnificent rings. Around his neck he wore the collar
of the order of Saint Michael.

Even Mr. Ainsworth's mere profile-sketches, as one
may call them, arc too good to be passed by without
quotation. Instance, his rapid outline of—

TILE KING'S JESTER, TRIBOULET.
The Court Buffoon wore the parti-colour proper to
his office, and carried a bauble in his hand. Misshapen in
person, he had high shoulders, long arms, large feat and
hands, and an immense la ead. His brow was low, his eyes
lighted up by a malicious flame, and his countenance alto-
gether had a cunning and mischievous expression, which
inspired fear while it excited mirth.

Or his almost equally rapid delineation of—

TILE FAMOUS ASTROLOGER, CORNELIUS AGRIPPA

Immediately behind Triboulet stood a tall, thin man,
whose appearance offered a striking contrast to that of the
jester. This personage wore a black taffeta robe with
loose sleeves, and a silken skull-cap of the same hue,
which set off his sallow features. His eyes were thought-
ful in expression, and a long grey beard, descending
to his girdle, added materially to the gravity of
his aspect. This individual was the renowned Cor-
nelius Agrippa, who, after many years of travel and
strange adventure in Germany, Switzerland, the
Low Countries, and England, now formed part of
the royal household of France, and occupied the post of
physician and astrologer to the Duchess d'Angouleme, who
had great faith in his medical and mystical lore. Though
the courtiers affected to deride Agrippa's predictions, and
sometimes charged him with dealing in the black art, they
nevertheless stood in great awe of him.

Here, however, is the heart of the interest of the
number—in this culmination to a quarrel of the in-
terview between the King and the Constable De
Bourbon :

"Answer one question," said the king. "Is it nothing
to be father-in-law to the King of France 2"
" I am sensible enough of tho distinction such an alliance
would confer upon me, sire," replied the Constable. "But,
for all that, I must decline it."
" Foi de gentilhomme ! fair cousin, you are perverse
enough to provoke me, but I will be calm," said the king,
changing his attitude and tone. " Since argument is use-
less, must exert my authority. BySaint Denis ! the match
shall Take place. I will have no nay' from you. Now you.
understand."

"I hear what you say, sire," rejoined Bourbon sternly
" But you cannot enforce compliance with the injunction.
Not even at your bidding will I wed the Duchess d'An-
gouleme."

" You refuse !—hi ?" demanded the king fiercely.
" Absolutely," replied Bourbon. "lam a prince of the
blood."

"What of that ?" cried Francois, yet more highly in-
censed. "Were you a crowned king you would not bemean
yourself by marriage with my mother. It is she who de-
grades herself by stooping to you. But this," he added,
checking himself, "cannot be your motive."
"No, sire, it is not my motive," rejoined Bourbon.
" Since you force me to speak, you shall have the truth.
I prefer death to dishonour."

" Dishonour !" echoed the king, astonished and enraged
"Dare you breathe such a word in connexion with my
mother ? What mean you ? Speak !"
Francois looked at him with eyes that seemed to flash
lightning. Bourbon, however, did not quail before the
fierce looks and gestures of the king, but replied with stern
significance :

"A man of my quality, sire, does not marry a wanton.'
" Sang Dieu! this to me !" cried the king, transported
with rage.

And he struck Bourbon in the face with his hand.
This mortal insult, as may be imagined, produced a
fearful effect on the Constable. His first impulse was to
slay his assailant, and his hand involuntarily clutched his
sword. But he abandoned the insane design almost as
soon as formed. In the effort to constrain himself, his
frame and features were terribly convulsed, and a cry of
rage that was scarcely human escaped him. The king
watched him narrowly, prepared for attack, but manifesting
no alarm.

" Sire," cried Bourbon at length, " that was a craven
blow, unworthy of one who aspires to be the first knight
in Christendom. No other person' but yourself, who had
thus insulted me, should live. But you are safe. You
have dishonoured me for ever. Take back the dignity
you have bestowed upon me, and which I am unworthy
longer to wear," he added, tearing the jewelled cross o
Saint Michael from his breast, and casting it on the
ground. "Others may fight for you. My sword shall
never again be drawn in your service."

With a heart bursting with rage and grief, he rushed
out of the room.

The readers of Bentley may well be congratulated
upon so auspicious a commencement as that which
we have shown thus distinctly to be manifest in
these opening chapters of Mr. Ainsworth's new
story in the Miscellany. If continued in the same
spirit, the work gives promise of proving its au-
thor's masterpiece among his historical romances,
as unquestionably as Rookwood still remains
his masterpiece among his romances pur et simple.
By the way, we are touched to note Mr. Ains-
worth's superscription to his new serial story—
c, Inscribed to the Memory of Dudley Costello."
It is the memento of a true friendship.