Father at last perceived him, and, walking towards him as though he would
prevent him from kneeling, took off his own hat, and pressing him to his
heart, raised him up and tenderly kissed his forehead, refusing to cover
until the king had put his cap upon his head, with the aid of the pope's
own hands. Then, after they had stood for a moment, exchanging polite
and friendly speeches, the king lost no time in praying His Holiness to
be so good as to receive into the Sacred College William Bricannet, the
Bishop of St. Malo. As this matter had been agreed upon beforehand by
that prelate and His Holiness, though the king was not aware of it,
Alexander was pleased to get credit by promptly granting the request; and
he instantly ordered one of his attendants to go to the house of his son,
Cardinal Valentino, and fetch a cape and hat. Then taking the king by
the hand, he conducted him into the hall of Papagalli, where the ceremony
was to take place of the admission of the new cardinal. The solemn oath
of obedience which was to be taken by Charles to His Holiness as supreme
head of the Christian Church was postponed till the following day.

When that solemn day arrived, every person important in Rome, noble,
cleric, or soldier, assembled around His Holiness. Charles, on his side,
made his approach to the Vatican with a splendid following of princes,
prelates, and captains. At the threshold of the palace he found four
cardinals who had arrived before him: two of them placed. themselves one
on each side of him, the two others behind him, and all his retinue
following, they traversed a long line of apartments full of guards and
servants, and at last arrived in the reception-room, where the pope was
seated on his throne, with his son, Caesar Borgia; behind him. On his
arrival at the door, the King of France began the usual ceremonial, and
when he had gone on from genuflexions to kissing the feet, the hand, and
the forehead, he stood up, while the first president of the Parliament of
Paris, in his turn stepping forward, said in a loud voice: