He did not much business at this audience; but at least it was enough to keep folks in awe, and especially his own officers, of whom he had suspended some for extortion." It is but too often a man's fate to have his life slip from him just as he was beginning to make a better use of it.

On the 7th of April, 1498, Charles VIII.

was pleased, after dinner, to go down with the queen into the fosses of the castle of Amboise, to see a game of tennis.

Their way lay through a gallery the opening of which was very low; and the king, short as he was, hit his forehead.

Though he was a little dizzy with the blow, he did not stop, watched the players for some time, and even conversed with several persons; but about two in the afternoon, whilst he was a second time traversing this passage on his way back to the castle, he fell backwards and lost consciousness.