60 
THE POETRY OF FLOWERS 
D I S S E N S I 0 N—R UP T UR E. 
A BROKEN STRAW. 
The custom of breaking a straw, to express that treaties are 
broken, may be traced to the first days of monarchy; it may 
even be said to be of royal origin. 
The old chroniclers relate, that in 922, Charles the Simple, 
seeing himself abandoned by the principal lords of his court, 
had the imprudence to convoke an assembly at the Champ-de- 
Mai, at Soissons. He sought his friends there, but f< and only a 
factious crew, whose audacity was increased by his weakness. 
Some reproached him with indolence; with his prodigalities, 
and his blind confidence in his minister Haganan; others were 
angry for the dishonour of his concessions to Raoul, chief of the 
Normans. Surrounded by their foul sedition, he prayed, prom¬ 
ised, and thought to escape by the display of new weaknesses, 
but in vain. When they saw him without moral courage, 
their audacity had no bounds; they even declared that he 
ceased to be their king. At these words, which they pronoun¬ 
ced with every sign of violence, accompanied by menaces, 
they advanced to the foot of the throne, broke some straws 
which they held in their hands, threw them roughly on the 
ground, and retired, after expressing by this action that they 
broke treaty with him. 
This example is the most ancient of its kind that we know; 
but it proves that for a long time this mode of breaking an 
oath had been in use, since the vassals did not think it neces- j 
sary to add a single word of explanation, as they felt sure of 
being understood. 
Alas! how light a cause may move 
Dissension between hearts that love ! 
Hearts that the world in vain has tried, 
And sorrow but more closely tied; 
