Strange and characteristic were the names of many of the streets and houses, such as Cherche-midi, Trois-morts-et-trois-vifs, L’Ymage-de-Saint Nicolas, Quatre-fils-Aymon, Ami-du-cœur, Panier-vert, Hospice des Quinze-Vingts,[184] beside the Croissant, Lyon d’or, Gerbe d’or, Croix blanche, Homme sauvage, Couronne, Cheval blanc, and many others still in use. Isabeau had several hôtels of her own amongst this tangled labyrinth of streets, buildings, and gardens. First, the hôtel de la Reine, which was one of the group of hôtels connected by galleries and colonnades, surrounded by gardens, built by Charles V., and called St. Paul. Then she had one in the faubourg St. Marcel, given her by the Duc de Berry, and another out in the country near Pouilly, called Val-la-Reine. Some years later she bought another, called Bagnolet, with a good deal of land and a windmill, besides all other accessories; it had also about six thousand elms and many other trees. And in this year she bought the hôtel Barbette, in the vieille rue du Temple. This she enlarged, bought all the ground about it to turn into gardens, and used it as a place of diversion.[185]
[Illustration: THE LOUVRE FROM THE HÔTEL DE NESLE.]
During this year one Salmon, a gentleman of the household of the Queen of England, who had gone with her to that country on her marriage, arrived with letters from King Richard, who wished to send the King and Queen of France news of the welfare and happiness of their daughter. Charles and Isabeau, delighted to hear about her, received the messenger with great honour. Richard appears to have felt some uneasiness at the friendship between Henry, son of the Duke of Lancaster, and the Duc d’Orléans. For Henry of Lancaster was already his secret enemy and dangerous rival, and the Duc d’Orléans was extremely powerful and ambitious; the Venetians sent ambassadors to him, and European princes appealed to him as to an independent sovereign. Year after year the dissension grew deeper between him and his uncle of Burgundy, who persisted in retaining the regency, which Louis declared ought to be his, during the King’s frequent attacks of insanity.
The year 1399 was an unfortunate one in every way. Troubles and dangers were beginning to gather in England, threatening the safety of Richard and Isabelle, and causing the greatest anxiety to the King and Queen of France. In March and April there were great floods. The Seine overflowed the whole country and destroyed the seeds, so that the crops were ruined and the country made so unhealthy that the plague began again. For eight days a dreadful comet flamed in the sky, which every one said foreboded evil.[186]