henri III's basket of puppies

Another diverting anecdote from The Recreative Review, this time found in Vol. III (p. 559, and original spelling kept):

Henry III. — of France, would amuse himself by traversing his capital, with a basket hanging by a girdle from his neck, out of which peeped the head of half a dozen puppies (live ones, of course - curator). And De Thou assures us, that the King annually expended above twelve thousand pounds in the single article of little dogs, besides the sums consumed on monkies, parroquets and other animals. At Epernon's nuptials he danced in public, while at his waist hung a large chaplet of ivory sculls. In 1577, he frequented public entertainments in female attire, his doublet open, his bosom bare, with a necklace of pearls, and three little capes, as they were then worn by the ladies of the court.

Would you like to read more about this entertaining, but ultimately tragic prince?  You can start with Wikipedia, but here's a good article from History Today.