of
the equipments and arms from the Burgundian war that were in the
armoury at Solothurn, of helmets, armour, armlets, greaves, swords,
spears, and halberds; and safe securities were offered for the careful
return of them, with compensation for any damage. The government not
only granted the request, but their most intelligent members helped
both by word and deed, and delighted the troops with an old culverin
and the coal-black equipments of the Burgundian gunners of the end of
the fifteenth century.

"When February was so far advanced that the days of performance could
be settled,--it was to be on at least three following Sundays, in order
to repay in some measure the great preparations,--I pointed out to the
president of the union, after a general rehearsal, that it would be
well to have some playbills printed. 'Playbills!' said the president,
'there can be no harm in that, the people will then know who they have
before them.' It so happened that the actors had thought of having a
strip of paper attached to the head-dress of each, on which the public
could read in large characters the name of the person. This mistake
induced me to add upon the bills, to the usual contents, a short
summary of the scenes in each act. The union sent their messengers, and
I doubt whether there were any town or village within five leagues
where the bills were not carried. What conduced to all this zeal in the
preparations, was not only the pleasure of showing themselves before so
many men, but also the calculation, that only a numerous attendance
would bring up the entrance money to balance the expenditure, and give
a chance of an overplus, which would be at the disposal of the union.

"Again the actors came and begged to have a procession, 'such as there
used to be formerly, in which we ride, the soldiers march, and women
and others drive in smart carriages.' Those, therefore, who assisted in
the village, were to assemble and move in regular procession to the
baths, distant about a quarter of an hour. But the youths who had gone
through numerous rehearsals, in order to attain the heights of the art,
wished now to have a rehearsal of their procession, and to put on their
equipments and beautiful dresses; I left it to them to do as they
pleased. I learnt too late that to this innocent pleasure was added
also a plan of revenge. It had come to the ears of the union, that the
clergy of the place were not favourable to what the worldly author