JEAN DE DINTEVILLE
fleers. The houses1 are in very great number, but ugly, and half the
materials of wood, nor are the streets wide. In short, I am of opinion, all
things considered, that it is a very rich, populous, and mercantile city,
but not beautiful. ...”
When an ambassador was invited to court, the king’s bargeman was
entrusted with the task of providing a boat, with eight or ten oars, at
the king’s expense. The guest was thus rapidly conveyed “ from Green-
wich to York Place, Bridewell, and Westminster,” or whatever might be
the point of destination on the Thames. The charges made on these
occasions are still on record. One entry notes that “John Johnson,
master of the king’s barge, for conveying the French ambassador from
London to Greenwich and back in a boat of ten oars,” paid “each
rower 8ff., and the master i6d., with i id. for the hire of the boat.”2
The king had been eagerly expecting the arrival of the new am-
bassador, being anxious to hear the report of Cardinals Tournon and
Grammont from Italy, before replying to a recently received Papal
despatch. Montpesat, who was awaiting the Bailly before departing him-
self, was even urged to send a special messenger to hurry his successor.3
Parliament was, in 1533, opened by the king on the 4th February.
A state attendance followed at the House of Lords, to which several of
the foreign representatives were bidden. A day or two later, the Papal
Nuncio and the French ambassador were invited by the king to be
present at a sitting of the Commons. This time Montpesat, who left a
few days later, was accompanied by Dinteville, who had just arrived.
On leaving the Commons, the two Frenchmen, the Papal Nuncio, and
the Duke of Norfolk, with others of the Council, were “sumptuously
banqueted” at the house of Sir William Fitzwilliam, Treasurer of the
Household. After dinner the Nuncio had hoped to have audience of
the king ; but he was put off till the next day, in order that Henry
might first hear what the Bailly of Troyes had to communicate.4
1 Apparently of the lesser citizens, apart from the palaces previously described.
2 Letters and Papers, Henry VIII., vol. iv. (1531-1532), pp. 310 and 316, March
and November, 1529. The ambassador was one of Dinteville’s predecessors.
3 Ibid.., vol. vi. (1533), No. in, Montpesat to Montmorency.
4 Ibid., vol. vi. (1533), No. 160, Chapuys to Charles V., London, 15 February, 1533.
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