These gentlemen having appropriated a
portion of his plate, it was proposed to search them: 'No, no!'
said the cardinal, 'they are poor companions who have only their
sword, cloak, and crucifixes; they are brave fellows; the plate
will be a great benefit to them, and the loss of it will not make
me poorer.'
Vigneul de Marville tells us of certain extravagant abbes, named
Ruccellai and Frangipani, who carried their ostentation to such a
pitch as to set gold in dishes on their tables when entertaining
their gaming companions! Were any of these base enough to put
their hands in and help themselves? This is not stated by the
historian. These two Italian abbes were ne plus ultras in luxury
and effeminacy. In the reign of Henry IV., they laid before
their guests vermilion dishes filled with gloves, fans, coins to
play with after the repast, essences and perfumes.[25] I wonder
if the delightful scent called Frangipani, vouchsafed to us by
Rimmel and Piesse and Lubin, was named after this exquisite
ecclesiastic of old?
[25] Melanges d' Hist. et de Lit.
One day when Henry IV. was dining at the Duc de Sully's, the
latter, as soon as the cloth was raised, brought in cards and
dice, and placed upon the table two purses of 4000 pistoles each,
one for the King, the other to lend to the lords of his suite.
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