THE BLACK PRINCE'S RUBY. 159
portion
of the collar. It was worn at the Field of the Cloth of Gold where
Henry and Francis I. outdid each other in splendor. NotwithstandÂing
all this display of gold and jewels, they were but half civilized at
the court of Henry, as the following quaint incident proves. At a
certain splendid pageant the King and some of his nobles attired
themselves in fanciful costumes upon which their chosen names such as "
True-Love," "Good Cheer " and the like were written in large letters of
bullion. After the mask the King intimated that the court-ladies might
take for keep-sakes those gold letters, and they, deÂlighted, proceeded
instantly to snatch them from the dress of the King and his courtiers.
The crowd which was witnessing this show from afar rushed in to share
the spoil, and in a twinkling had stripped the King to his jerkin and
hose ; they then attacked the Queen and her ladies and " worse would
have befallen " if the royal guards had not opportunely arrived and
driven off these grabbing subjects.
