Series 1 > Journals of Sir John Lauder, Lord Fountainhall, with his observations on public affairs and other memoranda, 1665-1676

A FRENCH COMEDY
125
marriage. In comes a poet to suit hir, fals out in the com¬
mendation of Poesy; hir father shoots him away, saying that
al the Poets ware fools. In comes a painter who praising his
art, whom also he puts away, saying that the painter ware
poor drunken fellows. After came a Musician, who fell to
sing: he called him a cheater. Then came in a Astronomer,
whom he put away because he could not tel whither he would
give him his daughter or not. Then came in a Captain, a
floop1 like fellow wt his sword about him, making a wery fool
reverence, who rodomontades a space, telling that he had
made the Devils tremble ; that he was that Achilles in Homer,
that Eneas in Virgil, that Aiax in Ovid, and that al that
historians wrot of brave men was only of him. At last came
in one that called himself nothing, that would assume no title
to himselfe. Not finding anything to obiect against him he
accepted of him.
In the comoedy when the King stood very scrupulously on
his word, his sister fel to to convince him that it was a shame
to a King to be slave of his word, which was the great maxim
of Cardinal Mazarini, as I was informed. Having sent to
consult the oracle of Delphos, and it not deigning to answer
him, in a rage he cried fxxvt\\,Jlectere si superos nequeo, etc.
When a person dies in France they are very careful to mark
in what posture after their death their feet are in; for if they
be unaequally laying, on of them drawen up, they strongly
beleive that by that the dead calls his or hir neirest freind let
it be wife, father, or brother, on of which wil dy shortly after.
Its the faschion of the grandees when they die that they are
exposed for 3 days after in a chamber hung all in doole2 in
their bed, also of dool, in the bests cloaths which they wor
when they ware in life, so that al may come to sy them in
that space. Their is holy water in the roome. The Dutchesse
of Montamor, whiles I was at Poictiers, was thus exposed.
The bairnes of France have the excercise of the tap, the
pery,3 the cleking,4 and (instead of our gouf, which they know
not) they have shinyes.
1 Floop or flup, awkward. 2 Mourning. 8 Peg top.
4 Clekin or Clackan, a small Wooden bat in shape like a racquet.