noon
Coaches were only coming into fashion , Henry , who feared nothing else , having so invincible a distaste for them that he was wont to turn pale if the coach in which he travelled swayed more than usual . Ladies , the Queen 's mother and her suite excepted , rode sideways on pads , their feet supported by a little board ; and side-saddles were rare . At great banquets the fairest and noblest served the tables . We dined at ten in the country and eleven in Paris ; instead of at noon , as is the custom now . When the King lay alone , his favourite pages took it by turns to sleep at his feet ; the page on duty using a low truckle bed that in the daytime fitted under the King 's bed , and at night was drawn out . Not seldom , however , and more often if the times were troublous , he would invite one of his councillors to share his couch , and talk the night through with him ; a course which in these days might seem undignified . Frequently he and the Queen received favourite courtiers before they left their beds ; particularly on New Year 's morning it was the duty of the Finance Minister to wait on them , and awaken them with a present of medals struck for the purpose .