phin, Madame the
King's sister, the Duchess of Loraine, and the Queen of Navarre, their
trains being home by the Princesses; the Queens and the Princesses were
all of them attended with their maids of honour, who were richly
dressed in the same colour which they wore themselves; so that it was
known by the colour of their habits whose maids they were: they mounted
the place that was prepared in the Church, and there the marriage
ceremonies were performed; they returned afterwards to dine at the
Bishop's Palace, and went from thence about five o'clock to the Palace
where the feast was, and where the Parliament, the Sovereign Courts,
and the Corporation of the City were desired to assist. The King, the
Queens, the Princes and Princesses sat at the marble table in the great
hall of the Palace; the Duke of Alva sat near the new Queen of Spain,
below the steps of the marble table, and at the King's right hand was a
table for the ambassadors, the archbishops, and the Knights of the
Order, and on the other side one for the Parliament.

The Duke of Guise, dressed in a robe of cloth of gold frieze, served
the King as Great Chamberlain; the Prince of Conde as Steward of the
Household, and the Duke de Nemours as Cup-bearer. After the tables were
removed the ball began, and was interrupted by interludes and a great
deal of extraordinary machinery; then the ball was resumed, and after
midnight the King and the whole Court returned to the Louvre. However
full of grief Madam de Cleves was, she appeared in the eyes of all
beholders, and particularly in those of the Duke de Nemours,
incomparably beautiful. He durst not speak to her, though the hurry of
the ceremony gave him frequent opportunities; but he expressed so much
sorrow and so respectful a fear of approaching her, that she no longer
thought him to blame, though he had said nothing in his justification;
his conduct was the same the following days, and wrought the same
effect on the heart of Madam de Cleves.

At last the day of the tournament came; the Queens were placed in the
galleries that were prepared for them; the four champions appeared at
the end of the lists with a number of horses and liveries, the most
magnificent sight that ever was seen in France.

The King's colours were white and black, which he always wore in honour
of the Duchess of Valentinois, who was a widow. The Duke of Ferrara
and his retinue had yellow and red. Monsieur de Guise's carnation and
white