The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-26

THE ARRIVAL OF THE DUKE.
CHAPTER vi.

THE ARRIVAL OF THE DUKE.
Proficient a poet, bold as a soldier
| adroit as a statesman, the King was, new
| ertheless, most fitted for the convivial role
of host, and no part that he played in his
varied repertoire afforded such opportunity
for the nice display of his unusual talents
| History hath sneered at his rhymes as fat
stale and unprofitable upon the bloody field
he had been defeated and subsequently i'm
prisoned; clever in diplomacy. the sagacity
| of his opponent Charles, had, in truth over
matched him; yet as the ostentatious Boni-
face in grand bib and tucker, prodigal in
| joviality and good-fellowship, his reputa-
ton rests without a flaw.
In anticipation of the arrival of the duke
and his suite, the monarch had ordered
series of festivities and entertainments such
as would crafty his desire for pageantry
| and display, and at the same time do honor
| to a guest who was to espouse one of
Frances fairest wards. To the castle re-
paired tailors, embroiderers and goldsmiths
to make and devise garments for knights,
ladies, lords and esquires and for the trap
| ping. decking and adjoining of coursers.
| jennets and palfries. Bales of silks and sat
| ms had been long since conveyed thither
coming marriage: and the old Norman cas-
| tie that had once resounded with the clash
| ing of arms. the snap of the cross-bow and
| the clang of the catapult now echoed with
the merry stir and furry of peace; bee
hive of activity wherein We're no drones;
| marshal, grand master, chancellor and
grand chamberlain preparing for mysteries
| and hunting parties; dowagers, matrons
and maids making ready for balls and 9TH
| er pastimes.
| With this new influx of population to the
| pleasure palace came a plentiful sprink-
| ling of wayside minstrels. jugglers. noun
| tebanks, dulcimer and lutte players, street
poets who sang the praises of some fair
cobbleress or pretty sausage girl; scamps
| of students from the Paris haunts of vice.
| loose fellows who conned the classical poets
| by day and took a purse by night; dancers,
dwarfs. and merry men all, not averse to
| ''Haunch and ham, and cheek and chine
While they gurgled their threats with right
good wine.
| Here sauntered a wit-cracker, peacock
| feather in his hand. arm-in-arm with an
impoverished banquet beagle" or feast
hound;'' there passed a jack in green,
| bladder under his arm and a tankard at his
belt, with which latter he begged that sort
| of aims that flows from a spigot. AS vag-
| rant followers hover on the verge of camp,
| or watchful vultures circle around their
| prey. so these lower parasites distinct
| from the other wel-born more aristocratic
| genus of smell-feasD prowled vigilantly
| without the castle walls and beyond the
limits of the royal pleasure grounds. finding
occasional employment from lackey, valet
or equerry, who, initiating their betters,
| amused themselves betimes with some low
| buffoon or vulgar clown and rewarded him
| for his gross stories and antics with a crust
and cup.
Faith, in those thrice happy days, every
henchman could whistle to him his shabby
poet and every ostler hold court in the sta
BILE. with visdase, or ass face, to keep the
audience in a roar, and a nimble-footed
trull to set them into ecstasies. But woe be-
tide the honest wayfarer who strolled be-
yond the orderly precincts Of the Kings
walls after dusk; for if some street cox
comb was too drunk to rob him. or a ribald
Latin scholar saw him not, he surely ran
into a nest of pavement tumblers or cellar
poets who forthwith stripped him and
turned him loose in the all-insufficient garb
of nature.
fantastic, waggish crew-yet Francis
minded them not. SO long they observed
sufficient etiquette to keep their distance
from his royal person and immediate fol-
lowing. This nice decorum, however, be it
said, was an unwritten law with these waits
and scatterlings, knowing the merry mon
arch who tolerated them afar would feel no
conjunction at hanging them severally, or
in squads, from the convenient branches OF
the trees surrounding the castle, should the
humor seize him that such summary chas-
hes 10
welfare of the community. Thus, though
bold, were they also shy, drinking humbly
from a blackjack quart In the kitchen and
vanishing docilely enough when the Sover-
eign cook bid them be gone with warm
words or by fiinging over them ladies Of
hot soup.
from their holes when they hear the football
of the hunter, these field ramblers and way
side peregrinators were all agog, emerging
from grassy cover and thicket retreat, To
gaze Open-mouthed after a gay cavalcade
that issued from the castle gate and rode
southwark with waving banner and piercing
trumpet note.
.'The King knaves! cried a grimy estray
with bells upon his person that jingled like
those of Jewish high priest, to group of
waters at the thoughts of the wedding
feast and the scraps and bones that will be
thrown away. There ! warrant you Well
all find hearty cheer
'Why are fools ever welcome at a we'd
ding?' asked singing scholar.
because there are two in the ceremony,
and the rest make the chorus answered
a philandering mime.
'And our merry monarch goeth down the
road to meet one of the two. said a close
cropped rogue.
"Well, he's a brave knight to come so far
to yield himself captive-to woman" re-
turned the student. LAS Horace saith"
Thou calumniator. shrimp of man.
exclaimed a dark-browed drab dressed like
a gypsy, seizing the scholars short doublet.
IAN 1 get at you
Take the garment you harridan, not the
man." he retorted, slipping deftly out of the
"Ha! there's welded bliss for you."
laughed a man in Franciscan attire a
rough rascal disguised one of those
priests called Gods fools or "Christ's
fools" "a week ago. when | married them,
they were billing and cooling. But to your
holes, children. When the King returns he
would not have his guest gaze upon such
scarecrows and trollops Dispense. and Beel-
zebub take your And as the group scat
tered the sound of beating horses hoofs
died away in the distance.
Francis unusually good humored
that day. Apprised by q herald that the
duke and his followers were nearing the
castle, he had sent the messenger back an
nouncing a trysting place. and now rode
forth to meet his guest and escort him with
honor to the castle. Upon a noble steed,
die and trappngs crimson in color; the STIR
rup and bit. of gold; a jaunty plume of white
ostrich feathers waving above the jetty
NAME The costume OF the Kings stalwart
figure displayed splendid suit of plate ar
NOR, enriched with chased work and orna-
ment in gold. his appearance in keeping
with his character of monarch and knight
ff1a frif