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The god-fathers of Nickie the Kid were all experts, and obtained bed and board mainly by exercising the art of dissimulation. To stand out conspicuously as a specialist in such company one needed to possess very bright and peculiar qualities. Mr. Nicholas Crips was blonde, bony man perhaps five feet nine in height, but looking taller because of the spareness of his limbs.
Next came from the same village three older women, all three being god-mothers to Joan. In those days the French peasantry seem to have had an almost unlimited number of god-fathers and god-mothers. These were named Jeannette, widow of Thépelin de Viteau, aged sixty; Jeannette Théverien, aged sixty-six; and Beatrix, widow of d'Estelin, a labourer of Domremy, then in her eightieth year.
What names they have received from scientific god-fathers at the botanic fount we know not; we have always known them by fairy nicknames of our own the pet names of endearment which lie between Nature's children and us in her domestic circle.
Were they of good character and of good repute? Who were her god-fathers? Was she piously brought up? How did she conduct herself between her seventh year up to the time she left her home? Did she often frequent the churches and places of devotion of her free-will? How did she occupy herself, and what were her duties? Did she confess often?
If the latter, one cannot but admire their disinterested modesty in conferring this notable honour on the Father of his country, inasmuch as all can see that there never has been a period when their own board has not possessed distinguished members, every way qualified to act as god-fathers to the most illustrious markets of the republic.
After these three god-mothers, came to give their evidence her god-fathers. Four of these appear John Rainguesson, John Barrey, John de Langart, and John Morel de Greux. Of these four god-fathers, only the last one seems to have been called to give evidence; he was in his seventieth year.
Then we have our political god-fathers; topographical engineers, perhaps, or persons employed by government to survey and lay out townships. These, forsooth, glorify the patrons that give them bread; so we have the names of the great official men of the day scattered over the land, as if they were the real "salt of the earth," with which it was to be seasoned.
Nay, so prevalent were his unfortunate prepossessions, that amidst all his present distresses, he could not forbear, at the baptism of the young prince, appointing the pope to be one of the god-fathers.
The Prince's christening was to be a grand affair. According to the custom of the country, there were chosen for him four-and-twenty god-fathers and godmothers, who each had to give him a name, and promise to do their utmost for him. When he came of age, he himself had to choose the name and the godfather or god-mother that he liked the best, for the rest of his days. Meantime all was rejoicing.
Here, as we have said, Edward VI. was born; and three days after he was baptized in the king's chapel in the palace in great state Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, and the Duke of Norfolk, being god-fathers.
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