e spectators.

From this period until the end of the month the royal circle were
engaged in one continual succession of festivities, wherein high play,
banquets, ballets, balls (at the latter of which a species of dance
denominated _Braules_, and corrupted by the English into _Brawls_, which
became afterwards so popular at the Court of Elizabeth, was of constant
occurrence, as well as the _Corranto_, a livelier but less graceful
movement), and theatrical representations formed the principal features.
An Italian company invited to France by the Queen, under the management
of Isabella Andreini, also appeared before the Court, but no record is
left of the nature of their performance.[211]

From this temporary oblivion of all political anxiety Henry was,
however, suddenly aroused by a rumour which reached the Court of a
revolt in the town of Metz, which proved to be only too well founded.
For some time previously great discontent had existed among the
citizens, who considered themselves aggrieved by the tyranny of the two
lieutenants[212] of the Duc d'Epernon their governor; and to such a
height had their opposition to this delegated authority at length risen
that the Duke found himself compelled to proceed to the city, in order,
if possible, to reconcile the conflicting parties. This intelligence had
no sooner been communicated to the King than he resolved to profit by
so favourable an opportunity of repossessing himself, not only of the
town itself, but of the whole province of Messin, in order to disable
the Duc d'Epernon (against whom his suspicions had already been aroused)
from making hereafter a disloyal use of the power which his authority
over so important a territory afforded to him of contravening the
measures of the sovereign. The fortress was one of great importance to
Henry, who was aware of the necessity of placing it in the safe keeping
of an individual upon whom he could place the fullest and most perfect
reliance; and the more so that M. d'Epernon had, during the reign of
Henri III, rather assumed in Metz the state of a sovereign prince than
fulfilled the functions of its governor, and that he would, as the King
at once felt, if not opposed, resist any encroachment upon his
self-constituted privileges. The revolt of the Messinese (for, as was
soon ascertained, the disaffection was not confined to the city, but
extended throughout the whole of the adjoining country) afforded an
admirable opening for the ro