arrangements which were
adopted on the occasion, make it one of the most curious transactions
of the whole reign.

It seems that Edward could not place the least trust in Louis's
professions of friendship, and did not dare to meet him without
requiring beforehand most extraordinary precautions to guard against
the possibility of treachery. So it was agreed that the meeting should
take place upon a bridge, Louis and his friends to come in upon one
side of the bridge, and Edward, with his party, on the other. In
order to prevent either party from seizing and carrying off the other,
there was a strong barricade of wood built across the bridge in the
middle of it, and the arrangement was for the King of France to come
up to this barricade on one side, and the King of England on the
other, and so shake hands and communicate with each other through the
bars of the barricade.

The place where this most extraordinary royal meeting was held was
called Picquigny, and the treaty which was made there is known in
history as the Treaty of Picquigny. The town is on the River Somme,
near the city of Amiens. Amiens was at that time very near the French
frontier.

The day appointed for the meeting was the 29th of August, 1475. The
barricade was prepared. It was made of strong bars, crossing each
other so as to form a grating, such as was used in those days to make
the cages of bears, and lions, and other wild beasts. The spaces
between the bars were only large enough to allow a man's arm to pass
through.

The King of France went first to the grating, advancing, of course,
from the French side. He was accompanied by ten or twelve attendants,
all men of high rank and station. He was very specially dressed for
the occasion. The dress was made of cloth of gold, with a large _fleur
de lis_--which was at that time the emblem of the French
sovereignty--magnificently worked upon it in precious stones.

When Louis and his party had reached the barricade, Edward, attended
likewise by his friends, approached on the other side. When they came
to the barricade, the two kings greeted each other with many bows and
other salutations, and they also shook hands with each other by
reaching through the grating. The King of France addressed Edward in a
very polite and courteous manner. "Cousin," said he, "you are right
welcome. There is no person living that I have been so ambitious of
seeing as you, and God be thanked that our interview now is on so