Henry had crossed the channel to greet Francis;
Francis agreed to be the first to cross the frontier to greet him. June
7 was the day fixed. On this day the king of France left his tent amid
the roar of cannon, and, followed by a noble retinue in cloth of gold
and silver, made his way to the frontier, where was set up a gorgeous
pavilion, in whose decorations the heraldries of England and France were
commingled. In this handsome tent the two monarchs were to confer.
About the same time Henry set out, riding a powerful stallion, nobly
caparisoned. At the border-line between English and French territory the
two monarchs halted, facing each other, each still on his own soil. Deep
silence prevailed in the trains, and every eye was fixed on the two
central figures.
They were strongly contrasted. Francis was tall but rather slight in
figure, and of delicate features. Henry was stout of form, and massive
but handsome of face. He had not yet attained those swollen proportions
of face and figure in which history usually depicts him. Their attire
was as splendid as art and fashion could produce. Francis was dressed in
a mantle of cloth of gold, which fell over a jewelled cassock of gold
frieze.
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