CHAP. LXIX.
AMADEUS DUKE OF SAVOY TURNS HERMIT, AND RESIDES AT RIPAILLE.[14]
It was now that Amadeus duke of Savoy, who was about fifty-six years of age, turned hermit, and fixed his residence at Ripaille, about half a league from Thonon,[15] where he had been accustomed to hold his court. This mansion he had greatly improved; and there was adjoining an abbey and priory of the order of Saint Maurice, which had been founded many years ago by the duke's ancestors.
Ten years before, the duke had a desire to become a hermit, in the manner he had now done, and had asked two of his most confidential servants if they were willing to follow his example and accompany him so long as he should please to remain a hermit, when they, having considered that he might change his mind, consented. One was sir Claude de Sexte: the other a valiant esquire named Henry de Colombieres.
The duke having, as I said, improved and properly altered the mansion of Ripaille for himself and his companions, left his palace at Thonon during the night with few attendants, and went to Ripaille, where he put on the dress of a hermit, according to the order of St Maurice. It consisted of a grey robe, a long mantle with a grey hood, and a tippet of about a foot long,—a crimson bonnet over the hood, with a golden girdle above the robe, and on the mantle a cross of gold, similar to what the emperors of Germany wear.
The two noble men joined him within a few days, and remonstrated with him on his manner of quitting Thonon, as it was not becoming his rank, and might be disagreeable to the three estates of his country, whom he had not summoned, to declare to them his intentions of becoming a hermit. He replied, that as he was not weakened in understanding or power, he would provide sufficient remedies for their dislike, and that their business was to keep the promises they had made to reside with him and keep him company. On this, seeing nothing better could be done, they were contented, and quickly clothed in similar dresses to what he wore.
The duke then summoned the three estates and his son the count of Geneva, whom he created prince of Piedmont, and surrendered up to him, in the presence of the estates, the government of his country, reserving, however, to himself a power of taking it from him, and bestowing it on whomever he pleased, should he behave ill. He created his second son count of Geneva. But although the duke had put on the religious habit, and surrendered up the administration of affairs to his son, nothing of importance was done without his knowledge and approbation.
With regard to his personal attendance, he retained about twenty of his servants to wait on him,—and his companions selected also a sufficiency to attend them according to their different ranks; but instead of roots and water, they were served with the choicest wines and most delicate food that could be procured[16].