THE ROSE IX THE MIDDLE AGES. 



179 



girl on his estate who enjoyed the greatest recantation for 

 amiability and excellence of character. Tradition states 

 that the prelate liimself gave this desired prize to one of 

 his sisters, whom the pnblic voice had named to be Rosiere. 

 Before the revolntion of 1789, there conld be seen, beneath 

 the altar of the chapel of St. Medard, at Salency, a tablet, 

 where that bishop was represented in pontifical dress, and 

 l^lacing a crown of roses on the head of his sister, who 

 was on her knees, with her hair dressed. 



The bishop had set aside, on a j^art of his domain, since 

 called the '* Manor of the Rose," an annual rent of twen- 

 ty-five livres, at that time a considerable sum, for j^aying 

 all the expenses of this ceremony. It is stated that Louis 

 XIII., being at the chateau of Varennes, near Salency, 

 about the time of this ceremony, was deirous of adding 

 to its eclat by his personal presence ; but finding himself 

 indisposed, he sent to La Rosiere, by a marquis of rank 

 and first captain of liis guards, a ring and his blue ribbon. 

 " Go," said he to the marquis, " and present this riband 

 to her who shall be crowned. It has been long the prize 

 of honor ; it shall now become the reward of virtue." 

 Since that time La Rosiere has received a ring, and she 

 and her companions have worn the blue ribbon. 



The Lord of Salency at one time enjoyed the right of 

 choosing La Rosiere from three of the village girls, who 

 were presented by the inhabitants. But in 1773 a new 

 lord, who purchased the estate of Salency, wished to take 

 away the right enjoyed by the inhabitants, of naming and 

 l)resenting to him the three candidates for the Rose. He 

 assumed the nomination of La Rosiere, w^ithout any as- 

 sembling, election, or presentation, and suppressed entirely * 

 the pomp and ceremonies whicli until that time had al- 

 ways been observed. On the comj^laint of the inhabit- 

 ants of Salency, the Court of Chancery at once set aside 

 the pretensions of their lord ; but he, not wishing to yield 

 them, instituted a civil process before the Parliament of 



