“I mention him for two reasons [he explains[9]]:  first, that he was the most brilliant in the procession, and the second is that by the will of God he died on the Wednesday from a trouble in his leg, which was a pity and much regretted by the nobility.

“The procession from Ste. Croix to the palace was magnificent, with all the dignitaries in their order.  So costly were the dresses of the ducal household that Charles expended more than forty thousand francs for cloth of silk and of wool alone.

“Prominent in this stately procession were the nations or foreign merchants in this order:  Venetians, Florentines—­at the head of the latter marched Thomas Portinari, banker and councillor of the duke at the same time that he was chief of their nation and therefore dressed in their garb; Spaniards; Genoese—­these latter showed a mystery, a beautiful girl on horseback guarded by St. George from the dragon.—­Then came the Osterlings, 108 on horseback, followed by six pages, all clad in violet.

“Gay, too, was Bruges and the streets were all decorated with cloth of gold and silk and tapestries.  As to the theatrical representations I can remember at least ten.  There were Adam and Eve, Cleopatra married to King Alexander, and various others.

“The reception at the palace was very formal.  The dowager duchess herself received her daughter-in-law from the litter and escorted her by the hand to her chamber, and for the present we will leave the ladies and the knighthood and turn to the arrangement of the hotel.

“In regard to the service, Mme. the new duchess was served d’eschancon et d’escuyer tranchant et de pannetier.  All English, all knights and gentlemen of great houses, and the chief steward cried ‘Knights to table,’ and then they went to the buffet to get the food, and around the buffet marched all the relations of Monseigneur, all the knights of the Order and of great houses.  And for that day Mme. the duchess the mother declined to be served a couvert but left the honour to her daughter-in-law as was right.

“After dinner the ladies retired to their rooms for a little rest and there were some changes of dress.  Then they all mounted their chariots and hackneys and issued forth on the streets in great triumph and wonderful were the jousts of the Tree of Gold.  Several days of festivity followed when the usual pantomimes and shows were in evidence.

“Tuesday, the tenth and last day of the fete, the grand salle was arranged in the same state as on the wedding day itself, except the grand buffet which stood in the middle of the hall.  This banquet, too, was a grand affair and concluded the festivities.

On the morrow, Wednesday, July 15th, Monseigneur departed for Holland on a pressing piece of business, and he took leave of the Duchess of Norfolk and the other lords and ladies of quality and gave them gifts each according to his rank.  Thus ends the story of this noble festival, and for the present I know nothing worth writing you except that I am yours.”

To this may be added the letter of one of the Paston family who was in Margaret’s train.[10]