ON GARDENS 219 



Nobility ; and here also young gentlemen are taught to 

 fence, daunce, play on musiq, and something in forti- 

 fication & the mathematics. The designe is admirable, 

 some keeping neere an hundred brave horses, all 

 managed to the greate saddle. 



We ariv'd at Blois in the evening (April 28, 1644). 

 The town is hilly, uneven, and rugged. It stands on 

 the side of the Loire, having suburbs joyn'd by a stately 

 stone bridg, on which is a pyramid with an inscription. 

 At the entrance of the castle is a stone statue of Lewis 

 XII. on horseback, as large as life, under a Gothic 

 state ; and a little below are these words : 



" Hie ubi natus erat dextro Ludovicus Olympo 

 Sumpsit honorata regia sceptra manu : 

 Foelix quse tanti fulsit Lux nuncia Regis 

 Gallica non alio principe digna fuit." 



Under this is a very wide payre of gates, nailed full 

 of wolves and wild-boars' heads. Behind the castle 

 the present Duke Gaston had begun a faire building, 

 through which we walked into a large garden, esteemed 

 for its furniture one of the fairest, especialy for simples 

 and exotic plants, in which he takes extraordinary 

 delight. On the right hand is a longe gallery full of 



