On the occasion of the marriage of one of his daughters, the notary who was employed to draw up the marriage contract, finding it difficult to define his real rank, inquired by what title he desired to be designated; upon which Zamet calmly replied: "You may describe me as the _lord of seventeen hundred thousand crowns_." His ready wit first procured for him the favour off Henri IV, which he subsequently retained by a system of complaisance of thoroughly Italian morality.

His house was always open to the King, even for the most equivocal purposes; and so great was the familiarity with which he was treated by the dissolute monarch, that the latter constantly addressed him by a pet name, and held many of his orgies beneath his roof.
[88] L'Etoile, vol.ii.pp.

492, 493.
[89] Dreux du Radier, vol.vi.p.

58 _n_.
[90] L'Etoile, vol.ii.pp.

511, 512.
[91] Sully had recently been appointed grand-master of artillery.
[92] Saint-Edme, vol.ii.p.