pal palace in the ancient hall of
Tau, and was served by the Duke of Alencon and the Count of
Clermont.[1519] As was customary, the royal table extended into the
street, and there was feasting throughout the town. It was a day of
free drinking and fraternity. In the houses, at the doors, by the
wayside, folk made good cheer, and the kitchens were busy; there were
that day consumed oxen in dozens, sheep in hundreds, chicken and
rabbits in thousands. Folk stuffed themselves with spices, and (for it
was a thirsty day) they quaffed full many a beaker of wine of
Burgundy, and especially of that wine of delicate flavour that comes
from Beaune. At every coronation the ancient stag, made of bronze and
hollow, which stood in the courtyard of the archiepiscopal palace was
carried into the Rue du Parvis; it was filled with wine and the people
drank from it as from a fountain. Finally the burgesses and all the
inhabitants of Blessed Saint Remi's city, rich and poor alike, stuffed
and satiated with good wine, having howled "Noel!" till they were
hoarse, fell asleep over the wine-casks and the victuals, the remains
of which were to be a cause of bitter dispute between the grim
aldermen and the King's men on the morrow.[1520]

[Footnote 1519: Monstrelet, vol. iv, p. 339. H. Jadart, _Jeanne d'Arc
a Reims_, p. 32.]

[Footnote 1520: Thirion, _Les frais du sacre_, in _Travaux de
l'Academie de Reims_, 1894. Dom Marlot, _Histoire de la ville de
Reims_, vol. iv, p. 45, n. 1. Varin, _Arch. adm. de la ville de
Reims_, vol. iii, p. 39.]

Jacques d'Arc had come to see the coronation for which his daughter
had so zealously laboured. He lodged at the Sign of _L'Ane Raye_ in
the Rue du Parvis in a hostelry kept by Alix, widow of Raulin Morieau.
As well as his daughter, he saw once more his son Pierre.[1521] The
cousin, whom Jeanne called uncle and who had accompanied her to
Vaucouleurs to Sire Robert, had likewise come hither to the
coronation. He spoke to the King and told him all he knew of his
cousin.[1522] At Reims also Jeanne found her young fellow-countryman,
Husson Le Maistre, coppersmith of the village of Varville, about seven
miles from Domremy. She did not know him; but he had heard tell of
her, and he was very familiar with Jacques and Pierre d'Arc.[1523]

[Footnote 1521: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 198; vol. v, pp. 141, 266. H.
Jadart, _Jeanne d'Arc a Reims_, pp. 47, 48. L'abbe Cerf, _Le vieux
Reims_, 1875, pp. 35 and 110.]

[Footnote