Page:The Queens of England.djvu/212

178 THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND. The two queens made their entry into Paris on the ensuing day, when the Duke of Burgundy, with many English lords, went out^to meet them. Great joy was displayed on their arrival, and numberless presents were offered by the city of Paris to the monarchs, but especially to Henry and Katherine. The whole of the day and night wine was constantly running c hrough brass cocks in the squares in such abundance that all might partake of it ; and the chroniclers add, "More rejoic- ings were made throughout Paris than tongue can tell, for the peace that had been made between the two kings." At the feast of the Nativity, Henry and Charles, with their queens and households, kept open court at Paris ; the former at the Louvre, and the latter at the Hotel de St. Pol. But their state was very different ; for that of the French monarch was poor and mean, and he was attended only by persons of low degree and some old servants, while of his victorious antagon- ist and Katherine, the magnificence was unbounded. The highest nobility came from all parts to do them honor, and from that day Henry took on himself the whole government of the kingdom, appointing officers at his pleasure, and dismissing those to whom their monarch and the late Duke of Burgundy had given appointments. When the festivities were concluded, the English prince and his fair consort, with a gorgeous retinue, proceeded to Rouen, accompanied by the Dukes of Clarence and Bedford, and the Red Duke of Bavaria, who had married Henry's sister, and had come to support him with five hundred men-at-arms. When the public affairs had been arranged in that town, the sov- ereigns departed thence, and repaired to Amiens, where they were received enthusiastically and magnificently ; and very cost- ly presents were made by the municipality to the consort of their king-elect. Thence they continued their journey to Calais, where they stayed a few days, and then crossed the Channel to England, his subjects cheering their victorious prince, as if, says Monstrelet, "he had been an angel. He lost no time after his arrival in having Katherine crowned queen of England in the city of London. The coronation was performed with such splendid magnificence that the like had never been seen at any coronation since the time of that noble knight, Arthur, king of the English and Bretons." It is recorded that the only evidence of a spirit of kindness existing in Queen Katherine was exhibited by her at this coronation