he predecessors of
these turbulent students took up arms, marched in a body to the
Pre-aux-Clercs, set fire to three houses in the vicinity, and slew a
sergeant of the guard, who vainly endeavored to restrain their fury.
Their last election of a rector, Messire Adrien d'Amboise,--_pater
eruditionum_, as he is described in his epitaph, when the same body
congregated within the cloisters of the Mathurins, and thence proceeded,
in tumultuous array, to the church of Saint Louis, in the isle of the
same name,--had been nothing to it. Every scholastic hive sent forth its
drones. Sorbonne, and Montaigu, Cluny, Harcourt, the Four Nations, and a
host of minor establishments--in all, amounting to forty-two--each added
its swarms; and a pretty buzzing they created! The fair of Saint-Germain
had only commenced the day before; but though its festivities were to
continue until Palm Sunday, and though it was the constant resort of the
scholars, who committed, during their days of carnival, ten thousand
excesses, it was now absolutely deserted.

The Pomme-de-Pin, the Castel, the Magdaleine, and the Mule, those
"capital caverns," celebrated in Pantagruel's conference with the
Limosin student, which has conferred upon them an immortality like that
of our own hostel, the Mermaid, were wholly neglected; the dice-box was
laid aside for the nonce; and the well-used cards were thrust into the
doublets of these thirsty tipplers of the schools.

But not alone did the crowd consist of the brawler, the gambler, the
bully, and the debauchee, though these, it must be confessed,
predominated. It was a grand medley of all sects and classes. The modest
demeanor of the retiring, pale-browed student was contrasted with the
ferocious aspect and reckless bearing of his immediate neighbor, whose
appearance was little better than that of a bravo. The grave theologian
and embryo ecclesiastic were placed in juxtaposition with the scoffing
and licentious acolyte; while the lawyer _in posse_, and the law-breaker
_in esse_, were numbered among a group whose pursuits were those of
violence and fraud.

Various as were the characters that composed it, not less diversified
were the costumes of this heterogeneous assemblage. Subject to no
particular regulations as to dress, or rather openly infracting them, if
any such were attempted to be enforced--each scholar, to whatever
college he belonged, attired himself in such garments as best suited his
taste or his fina