of the greatest architectural interest. The top or third stage consists, as we have seen, of the Cloister and of the magnificent Refectory. Finished in 1225 by Thomas des Chambres, who also completed the salle des chevaliers and began the Cloister, this long apartment is so lit by narrow and deep-set windows, widely splayed on the outside, as to please the eye with a soft and suffused light. Upon its south wall is a pulpit, very like that of the refectory at Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire, for the brother who read aloud at meals.

It is impossible to enumerate the many other features and members of this historic pile. A modern traveller who has the leisure to spend more than "the regulation day" in visiting Mont St. Michel; who will do Madame Poulard the justice of tarrying for a week in her hostelry; who will cross the quicksands not only to obtain the unique views of the Mount which they afford, but also to bathe in the heavenly pools of the rock-island of Tombelaine; who can investigate and, in imagination, recreate the history of these skilful buildings, will find the place a source of delight, and his visit a happy memory.

W. H. D.

tioned, an English nobleman, named M. de Niuell (Sir Henry Neville), whose annual income was £1,800, took Breuning and his party in coaches to the river Thames, where the royal barge, gorgeously decorated, was waiting.* The place of honour on board the vessel was given to the Ambassador, who sat by himself on a cushion of cloth of gold under a canopy of red satin; the seats and bottom of the barge were strewn with lovely sweet-scented flowers.

"When we came to the Court we were conducted by M. de Niuell into the Presence Chamber, where the Knights of the Garter had assembled and were waiting to accompany Her Majesty. The Knights numbered altogether thirteen. Their names, in the order in which they then walked and as placed at table, were as follows: 1, Mylord Cobham; 2, Mylord Hunsdon, High Chamberlain; 3, Lord Burghley, High Treasurer of England; of England; 4, Lord Effingham, the Admiral; 5, Earl of Essex; 6, The Treasurer of the Household, the Earl of Essex's grandfather (Sir Francis Knollys); 7, Earl of Northumberland; 8, Lord Borough; 9, Lord Sheffield; 10, Earl of Worcester; 11, Earl of Cumberland; 12, Lord Shrewsbury; 13, Lord Buckhurst. The absent Knights † were the King of Spain, the Earl of Ormond, an Irishman, the Earl of Huntingdon, and the Earl of Pembroke, both Englishmen. Here also, moreover, were assembled many

1595.

BY THE LATE WILLIAM BRENCHLEY RYE.

(Continued from p. 75.)

REUNING was now invited to St. George's Feast, which was to take place at Windsor on April 23. He was in some doubt as to whether he should accept or decline the honour, but his friend La Fontaine advised him to go. (Relation, p. 27.) He made preparations accordingly, and in order to render his appearance as imposing as possible, added to his company three Germans whom he met in London. At nine o'clock in the morning of the day men

cloth of gold and silver dresses were quite common, over which were laid precious stones and pearls. For, indeed, greater splendour and more stately dresses I have never seen at any Prince's Court, both as regards the men as well as Countesses and noble Ladies, who were surpassingly and superlatively beautiful. They were generally dressed in the Italian fashion, with their bosoms bare, and they carried in their hands large black plumes of feathers or other fans,

* Some panels and other parts of Queen Eliza. beth's state barge are worked into a chimney-piece in the library of Dulwich College; they had been purchased by Edw. Alleyn, the founder.

†The English names throughout are sadly disfigured-more so, perhaps, than those in the Badenfahrt, the title of the English travels. The K.G.'s in the German are: "Cobhan, Honsdong, Burgley, Effinghan, Nordhomberland, Burros, Chefel, Wurstel, Chomberland, Schrosbry, Bouckhorst."

with which to freshen the air for themselves."* An elaborate description follows of the showy and costly dresses worn by the Knights as they went in procession to the Chapel, the Ambassador knowing full well how acceptable and interesting such would be to the Wirtemberg Duke.

"Then came Her Majesty out of the Privy Chamber, dressed in a gown of cloth of silver, entwined round about with two obelisks, one above the other (on the upper part of each of which, in place of a small button, there was a beautiful large Oriental pearl); adorned also with other unspeakably costly royal ornaments and jewels. On her head she wore a very costly royal crown of pearls. On both sides were Lords and Earls, who accompanied Her Majesty. Her train was borne by a young Lady. On going out Her Majesty saluted all the circle. Then followed her in great numbers the whole company of Countesses and noble Ladies, who, as before related, had awaited her in the Presence Chamber. About Her Majesty were many of her Pensioners, who are nobles, with their gilt halberts, like the Emperor's Hetschieren.+ From the Presence Chamber they came to the Chapel, where were the clergy-all being dressed like the papists in chasubles and vestments of cloth of gold-who performed their office (which lasted some time) in the presence of Her Majesty and the Knights. In the Chapel was a great crowd of many of the common people, who pressed against each other. The service and prayers being over, the Knights went in the before-mentioned order to the court of the Castle, and then Her Majesty followed under a canopy of

"Es versamletten sich auch allhie sonsten viell Grauen, Herren, vnnd vom adell. Bei denen allen güldin vnnd silberin stückh gantz gemein wharen, zu dem das die kleidungh von edelgestein vnnd beerlin gestückth. Dan grösseren bracht vnnd stattlichere kleidung ich ihn gemein bey keiner_hoff halttungh yemals gesehen, so woll was Manss Personnen alss das Gräffliche vnnd adeliche Frawenzimmer belangt, welches vssbündigh vnnd über die massen schön, vnnd gemeintlich ihn Italienischen habitu giengh mit entblösten brüsten, trugen ihn händen grosse schwartze federbüsch oder auch andere uentilini, ihnnen damit frieschen lufft zu machen." (Relation, p. 29.)

+ More correctly Hatschier, a mounted imperial body-guard. The term was still used at the Court of Vienna in 1775. Italian, arciere; these guards were originally armed with bows.

cloth of gold, with a red ground, which was carried on poles by four of her attendants. Her train, however, was borne after Her Majesty into the court by a stately Gentleman. Then came the Ladies, and this procession passed thrice round the court, so that everybody might see the ceremony well. Her Majesty spoke in the most gracious manner to every person, even to the meanest sort (Die K. Mt. sprach yederman, auch dem gemeinen peuel vfs gnädigst zhu '), who fell on their knees before her. When the procession was ended, Her Majesty returned to the Privy Chamber, and the Knights to the Presence Chamber. Here were all kinds of the choicest and most excellent viands that could be thought of or met with at this time of the year both here and beyond sea, on all which no expense had been spared. In this room were three very long separate tables spread and arranged. At the uppermost table in the Hall, under a splendid canopy of cloth of gold, was that at which Her Majesty was carved for, waited on, and served, in her absence not otherwise than when present, although indeed no person might be seated thereat. At this table sat on this occasion, singly and alone, Mylord Cobham,* as the representative of Her Majesty's person at this ceremony, who was served and waited on exactly in the same manner as if Her Majesty herself was present. The Queen's Guards (who are always clad in short red tunics several times embroidered with black velvet, having on the backs and before on the breasts roses of brass and Her Majesty's name) carried up the meats in dishes of silver-gilt, and always fell on one knee before the table, until those who waited received the plate from them. Those Earls who before and after the meal handed the water, offered it in like manner on their knees. At the next long table sat eight of the Knights, although not opposite each other, but all on one side against the wall, in twos, tolerably near to each other; there was, however, a space left open between every four. Mylord Hunsdon, the Grand Chamberlain, sat at the upper end of this table,

* William, Lord Cobham, died in March of the following year-1596. In the Calendar of State Papers, August, 1598, he is said to have been the Earl of Essex's most determined enemy.