this  when  we  reflect,  that  almoft  all  men  of  letters  in  Europe

received  penfions  from  hirm

HtNRY


'9>


cond  marriage  of  tenuis  the  1 2th
he  gained  great  honour  in  a
tournament.  At  the  beginning
of  his  reign,  in  fbrae  diversions
of  this  fort,  captain  de  Urges,
lord  of  Meatgo*tery9  toffing  a
firebrand-,  it  fell  upon  the  king's
head,  by  ^kich  he  was  To  burnt,
that  he  was  forced  ftcpbe  fliaved,
and  ever  after*  wfafe  his  hair
jhort,  and  his  beard.long,  which
became  the  fafhion  (z).  In  the
battle  ofPawa  he  flew  with  .his
own  hand  the  lail  heir  male  of
the  famous  Scanderbeg  (3).  He
had  great  natural  parts,  as  ap-
pears from  feveral  pieces  of  po-
etry of  his  compoiing,  which  are
y«  extant.  At  his  meals,  in  his
recreations,  and  at  night,  before
be  went  to  deep,  he  had  perfons
who  read  to  him,  and  it  was  by
this  means  that  he  gained  fo  ge-
neral an  acquaintance  with  the
fcieaees  (4).  He  was  magnifi-
cent in  every  thing,  and  not  only
introduced  the  belles  lettres,  bat
a  tafle  for  the  fine  arts.  He
built  many  royal  palaces,  fuch
as  Fntainbleau,  St.  Germain $  en
h't  Cbatnbard,  the  caftle  of
JWiVin  the  wood  of  Boulogne,
and  he  bad  laid  the  foundation
of  the  Louvre  (5).  In  the  firft
P*"  of  his  life  he  was  profufc,
bat  however  it  was  in  a  noble
*ay  •  his  palaces  were  richly
fonriihed  ;  he  had  as.  fine  jewels
and  finer  p  flures  than  nioft  of
k  princes  of  his  time:  but
what  coll  him  the  moft  was  his
Wotis  to  great  men,  that  is,

N  Memtiret  da  Bella i.  Duplet*.
I*)  AnUjji  Ftrmi.    Stip.  DupUtx.
