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 The Hundred Years War 48 could raise for their ransom would not buy spurs and bridles for the duke's army. The poor Swiss were mightily enriched by the plunder of How the the duke's camp. At first they did not understand the value P or Swiss . ... mountaineers of the treasure they were masters of, especially the common m i SU nder- soldiers. One of the richest and most magnificent tents in stood the the world was cut into pieces. There were some of them J^^to that that sold quantities of dishes and plates of silver for about their hands, two sous of our money, supposing they had been pewter. His great diamond (perhaps the largest and finest jewel in Christendom), with a large pearl fixed to it, was taken up by a Swiss, put up again into the case, thrown under a wagon, taken up again by the same soldier, and after all offered to a priest for a florin, who bought it and sent it to the magistrates of that country, who returned him three francs as a sufficient reward. They took also three very rich jewels, called the Three Brothers, another large ruby called La Hatte, and another called the Ball of Flanders, which were the fairest and richest in the world ; besides a prodigious quantity of other goods, which has since taught them what fine things may be purchased for money; inas- much as their victories, the esteem the king had of their service afterwards, and the presents he made them, have enriched them prodigiously. VI. Louis XI OF FRANCE Small hopes and comfort ought poor and inferior people 204. Char- to have in this world, considering what so great a king suf- acterand ,, f , ,. troublous fered and underwent, and how he was at last forced to leave death of all, and could not, with all his care and diligence, protract Louis XL his life one single hour. I knew him, and was entertained jj^JJ^f in his service in the flower of his age and at the height of commines.) his prosperity, yet I never saw him free from labor and care. Of all diversions he loved hunting and hawking in their The king's seasons, but his chief delight was in dogs. ... In hunt- | abonou s interest in ing, his eagerness and pain were equal to his pleasure, for the chase< his chase was the stag, which he always ran down. He