HE BRIDAL OF THE WHITE AND BLACK

Small was the ring, and small in truth the finger:
What then? the faith was large that dropped it down.
Aubrey De Vere, INFANT BRIDAL

Setting aside the consideration of the risk, the baby-weddings of the
Middle Ages must have been very pretty sights.

So the Court of France thought the bridal of Henri Beranger Eustache de
Ribaumont and of Marie Eustacie Rosalie de Rebaumont du Nid-de-Merle,
when, amid the festivals that accompanied the signature of the treaty
of Cateau-Cabresis, good-natured King Henri II. presided merrily at the
union of the little pair, whose unite ages did not reach ten years.

There they stood under the portal of Notre-Dame, the little bridegroom
in a white velvet coat, with puffed sleeves, slashed with scarlet satin,
as were the short, also puffed breeches meeting his long white knitted
silk stockings some way above the knee; large scarlet rosettes were in
his white shoes, a scarlet knot adorned his little sword, and his velvet
cap of the same colour bore a long white plume, and was encircled by a
row of pearls of priceless value. They are no other than that garland
of pearls which, after a night of personal combat before the walls of
Calais, Edward III. of England took from his helmet and presented to Sir
Eustache de Ribaumont, a knight of Picardy, bidding him say everywhere
that it was a gift from the King of England to the bravest of knights.

The precious heirlooms were scarcely held with the respect due to an
ornament so acquired. The manly garb for the first time assumed by his
sturdy legs, and the possession of the little sword, were evidently the
most interesting parts of the affair to the youthful husband, who seemed
to find in them his only solace for the weary length of the ceremony.
He was a fine, handsome little fellow, fair and rosy, with bright blue
eyes, and hair like shining flax, unusually tall and strong-limbed for
his age; and as he gave his hand to his little bride, and walked with
her under a canopy up to kneel at the High Altar, for the marriage
blessing and the mass, they looked like a full-grown couple seen through
a diminishing-glass.

The little bride was perhaps a less beautiful child, but she had a
splendid pair of black eyes, and a sweet little mouth, both set into
the uncomprehending solemnity of baby gravity and contentment in fine
clothes. In accordance with the vow indicated