Library of the Worlds Best Literature, Ancient and Modern, Vol. 6 | Page 6

of the Prince), made by the King of Spain in the Pays-Bas in
the time of the Emperor Charles, his father, about the wonderful
entertainments given in the rich cities. The most famous was that of the
Queen of Hungary in the lovely town of Bains, which passed into a
proverb, "Mas bravas que las festas de Bains" (more magnificent than
the festivals of Bains). Among the displays which were seen during the
siege of a counterfeit castle, she ordered for one day a fête in honor of
the Emperor her brother, Queen Eleanor her sister, and the gentlemen
and ladies of the court.
Toward the end of the feast a lady appeared with six Oread-nymphs,
dressed as huntresses in classic costumes of silver and green, glittering
with jewels to imitate the light of the moon. Each one carried a bow
and arrows in her hand and wore a quiver on her shoulder; their buskins
were of cloth of silver. They entered the hall, leading their dogs after
them, and placed on the table in front of the Emperor all kinds of
venison pasties, supposed to have been the spoils of the chase. After
them came the Goddess of Shepherds and her six nymphs, dressed in
cloth of silver, garnished with pearls. They wore knee-breeches beneath
their flowing robes, and white pumps, and brought in various products
of the dairy.
Then entered the third division--Pomona and her nymphs--bearing fruit

of all descriptions. This goddess was the daughter of Donna Beatrix
Pacheco, Countess d'Autremont, lady-in-waiting to Queen Eleanor, and
was but nine years old. She was now Madame l'Admirale de Chastillon,
whom the Admiral married for his second wife. Approaching with her
companions, she presented her gifts to the Emperor with an eloquent
speech, delivered so beautifully that she received the admiration of the
entire assembly, and all predicted that she would become a beautiful,
charming, graceful, and captivating lady. She was dressed in cloth of
silver and white, with white buskins, and a profusion of precious
stones--emeralds, colored like some of the fruit she bore. After making
these presentations, she gave the Emperor a Palm of Victory, made of
green enamel, the fronds tipped with pearls and jewels. This was very
rich and gorgeous. To Queen Eleanor she gave a fan containing a
mirror set with gems of great value. Indeed, the Queen of Hungary
showed that she was a very excellent lady, and the Emperor was proud
of a sister worthy of himself. All the young ladies who impersonated
these mythical characters were selected from the suites of France,
Hungary, and Madame de Lorraine; and were therefore French, Italian,
Flemish, German, and of Lorraine. None of them lacked beauty.
At the same time that these fêtes were taking place at Bains, Henry II.
made his entrée in Piedmont and at his garrisons in Lyons, where were
assembled the most brilliant of his courtiers and court ladies. If the
representation of Diana and her chase given by the Queen of Hungary
was found beautiful, the one at Lyons was more beautiful and complete.
As the king entered the city, he saw obelisks of antiquity to the right
and left, and a wall of six feet was constructed along the road to the
courtyard, which was filled with underbrush and planted thickly with
trees and shrubbery. In this miniature forest were hidden deer and other
animals.
As soon as his Majesty approached, to the sound of horns and trumpets
Diana issued forth with her companions, dressed in the fashion of a
classic nymph with her quiver at her side and her bow in her hand. Her
figure was draped in black and gold sprinkled with silver stars, the
sleeves were of crimson satin bordered with gold, and the garment,
looped up above the knee, revealed her buskins of crimson satin

covered with pearls and embroidery. Her hair was entwined with
magnificent strings of rich pearls and gems of much value, and above
her brow was placed a crescent of silver, surrounded by little diamonds.
Gold could never have suggested half so well as the shining silver the
white light of the real crescent. Her companions were attired in classic
costumes made of taffetas of various colors, shot with gold, and their
ringlets were adorned with all kinds of glittering gems....
Other nymphs carried darts of Brazil-wood tipped with black and white
tassels, and carried horns and trumpets suspended by ribbons of white
and black. When the King appeared, a lion, which had long been under
training, ran from the wood and lay at the feet of the Goddess, who
bound him with a leash of white and black and led him to the king,
accompanying her action with a poem of ten verses, which she
delivered most beautifully. Like the lion--so ran the