The queen dowager, who, though she had no share in these broils, had no objection to them, and as usual being diverted with this circumstance, she took occasion to joke with the Chevalier de Grammont, for having thrown this bone of contention among such competitors; and did not fail to give him, in the presence of the whole court, those praises which so magnificent a present deserved:  “But how comes it,” said she, “that you have no equipage yourself, though you are at so great an expense? for I am told that you do not keep even a single footman, and that one of the common runners in the streets lights you home with a stinking link.”  “Madam,” said he, “the Chevalier de Grammont hates pomp:  my linkboy, of whom you speak, is faithful to my service; and besides, he is one of the bravest fellows in the world.  Your Majesty is unacquainted with the nation of link-boys:  it is a charming one, I can assure you:  a man cannot step out in the night without being surrounded by a dozen of them.  The first time I became acquainted with them, I retained all that offered me their services; so that when I arrived at Whitehall, I had at least two hundred about my chair:  the sight was new; for those who had seen me pass with this illumination, asked whose funeral it was.  These gentlemen, however, began fighting about some dozen shillings I had thrown among them then; and he whom your Majesty mentions having beaten three or four of his companions, I retained him for his valour.  As for the parade of coaches and footmen, I despise it:  I have sometimes had five or six valets-de-chambre at once, without having a single servant in livery, except my chaplain Poussatin.”  “How!” said the queen, bursting out laughing, “a chaplain in your livery! he surely was not a priest?” “Pardon me, madam,” said he, “and the first priest in the world for dancing the Biscayan jig.”  “Chevalier,” said the king, “pray tell us the history of your chaplain Poussatin.”

Memoirs of count Grammont, volume 4.

By Anthony Hamilton

Edited, with notes, by sir Walter Scott

CHAPTER EIGHTH.

Funny adventure of the chaplain Poussatin—­the story of
the siege of Lerida—­marriage of the duke of York, and
other details about the English court.

“Sir,” said the Chevalier de Grammont, “the Prince de Conde besieged Lerida:  the place in itself was nothing; but Don Gregorio Brice who defended it, was something.  He was one of those Spaniards of the old stamp, as valiant as the Cid, as proud as all the Guzmans put together, and more gallant than all the Abencerrages of Granada:  he suffered us to make our first approaches to the place without the least molestation.  The Marshal de Grammont, whose maxim it was, that a governor who at first makes a great blustering, and burns his suburbs