The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-07
EsCLAIRM0NDE.
A Thrilling Romance Of tho Reign Of
Henry III.
CHAPTER. !.
THE SCHOLARS.

Towards tile close OF Wednesday. the
dth OF February, 1919, u vast assem- blage
of scholars was collected before the
Gothic gateway of tho ancient college OF
Navarro. SO numerous was this con
course. that it not merely blocked up
the area In front of the renowned sem
mary in question, but extended tar
down the Hue do IN Montague oaintc-
t,eneyinye, In which II is situated
Never hnd such disordcrly rout been
brought together since the days Of
the iipronr in 1857 when the predeces
Asors Of these turbulent students took up
arms, marched in u body to tue Pre-aux-
Clercs. set fire to three houses in the
vicinity. and slew u sergeant OF the
guard, who vainly endeavored to re-
strain their fury. Their last election Of
rector. Mossiro Adrien d'Amboise,
''pater eruditionum, as he Is described
IN the cpitaph,, when the same body
conpregated within tho oloisters Of tho
Mathurins, and thence proceeded, IN
tumutuous array. To tho church OF
saint. Louis, In the isle Of the same
name. had been nothing to II. Every
scholastic hive sent forth its drones.
S5rbonne, and Montaigu, Cluny, Har-
court. tho Four Nations, and u host OF
minor establishments all. amount
ing to forty-two- -ench added Its swnrms !.
and Y pretty buzzing they createdl The
fair OF Saint -Germain had only com
menced the day before: but, though
its festivities were TO continue
tin Palm Sunday, and though It
was tho constant resort OF the scholars,
who committed, during their days OF
carnival, ten thousand cxcesses, 1t was
now absolutely deserted.
But not alone did tho crowd consist OF
the brawlcr, tho gambler. tho bully and
the debaucheo. though these, II must be
confessed. predominated. 1t was u
grand medley OF all sects and classes.
The modest demeanor OF the retiring,
pale-browed student was contrasted
with tho ferocious aspect and reckless
bearing OF his immediate neighbor,
whose appearance WAS little better than
that OF a bravo. The grave theologian
and embryo ecclesiustic were placed In
i,lxta- position with the scofiing and
ljcentious acolyte; while lawyer In
posse, aud the law breaker In esse. were
numbered among n group whose pur-
suits were those OF violence and fraud.
From Rabelais wo learn that the pas
sion OF play was 80 strongly implanted
In the students OF his day, that they
would frequently stake the points OF
their doublets at tric-trac or trou-ma-
dame; and but littlo improvement had
taken place In their morals or manners
some half century afterward. The
buckle Mt their girdle, the mantle on
their shoulders, the shirt to their back
often stood the hazard OF the die; and
hence itnot unfrequent|y happened that
rusty pourpoiIt and ragged chausses
were all the covering which the luckless
dicers could enumerate, owing. no
doubt, ito tho extreme rarity and
penury Of pecune in their marsupies.
Round or square caps, hoods and
cloaks Of black, grey or other sombre
hue, were, however. the prevalent garb
OF the members OF the university but
here and there might be seen some
gayer specimen Of the tribe whose
broad-rimmed, high-crowned felt hat
and Haunting feather: whose putfed-out
sleeves and exaggerated ruff, with
starched plaits Of such amplitude that
they had been not inappropriately
named plaits de Saint jean Baptiste.
from the resemblance which the wearer's
head bore to that OF the saint, when de-
posted In the charger OF the daughter
OF Herodias, were intended to ape the
leading mode OF the elegant court OF
their sovereign Henri Trois.
Notwithstanding its shabby appear
ance in detail, the general effect OF this
scholastic rabble was striking and pic
turesQue. The thick moustaches and
pointed boards with which the lips and
chins of most OF them were decorated,
cave TO their physiognomies manly
and determined air, fully borne out by
their unrestrained carriage and deport |
ment. To man, almost all We're armed
with a tough vine-wood bludgeon. called
in their language an estOc vOlant, tipped
and shod with steel-a weapon fully !