and returned on the
morrow to Bruges.

"Dame Margaret remained at l'Ecluse until the following Saturday
and was again visited by Monseigneur. On Saturday the boats were
richly decorated to conduct my lady to Damme, where she was
received very honourably according to the capacity of that little
town. On the morrow, the 3rd of July, Monseigneur the duke set out
with a small escort between four and five o'clock in the morning,
and went to Damme, where he found Madame quite ready to receive
him as all had been prearranged, and Monseigneur wedded her as was
suitable, and the nuptial benediction was duly pronounced by the
Bishop of Salisbury. After the mass, Charles returned to his hotel
at Bruges, and you may believe that during the progress of the
other ceremonies he slept as if he were to be on watch on the
following night.

"Immediately after, Adolph of Cleves, John of Luxemburg, John of
Nassau, and others returned to Damme and paid their homage to the
new duchess, and then my lady entered a horse litter, beautifully
draped with cloth of gold. She was clad in white cloth of gold made
like a wedding garment as was proper. On her hair rested a crown
and her other jewels were appropriate and sumptuous. Her English
ladies followed her on thirteen hackneys, two close by her litter
and the others behind. Five chariots followed the thirteen
hackneys, the Duchess of Norfolk, the most beautiful woman in
England, being in the first. In this array Madame proceeded to
Bruges and entered at the gate called Ste. Croix."

There were too many names to be enumerated, but La Marche cannot
forbear mentioning a noble Zealander, Adrian of Borselen, Seigneur of
Breda, who had six horses covered with cloth of gold, jewelry, and
silk.

"I mention him for two reasons [he explains[9]]: first, that he
was the most brilliant in the procession, and the second is that
by the will of God he died on the Wednesday from a trouble in his
leg, which was a pity and much regretted by the nobility.

"The procession from Ste. Croix to the palace was magnificent,
with all the dignitaries in their order. So costly were the
dresses of the ducal household that Charles expended more than
forty thousand francs for cloth of silk and of wool alone.

"Prominent in this stately procession were the nations or foreign
merchant