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diff --git a/17702.txt b/17702.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2aa598d --- /dev/null +++ b/17702.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5868 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Tales Of The Heptameron, Vol. II. (of +V.), by Margaret, Queen Of Navarre + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Tales Of The Heptameron, Vol. II. (of V.) + +Author: Margaret, Queen Of Navarre + +Illustrator: Freudenberg and Dunker + +Translator: George Saintsbury: From The Authentic Text +Of M. Le Roux De Lincy With An Essay Upon The Heptameron by the Translator + +Release Date: February 7, 2006 [EBook #17702] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALES OF THE HEPTAMERON *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + + + +THE TALES OF + +THE HEPTAMERON + +OF + +Margaret, Queen of Navarre + +_Newly Translated into English from the Authentic Text_ + +OF M. LE ROUX DE LINCY WITH + +AN ESSAY UPON THE HEPTAMERON + +BY + +GEORGE SAINTSBURY, M.A. + +Also the Original Seventy-three Full Page Engravings + + + +Designed by S. FREUDENBERG + +And One Hundred and Fifty Head and Tail Pieces + +By DUNKER + +_IN FIVE VOLUMES_ + +VOLUME THE SECOND + +LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY OF ENGLISH BIBLIOPHILISTS + +MDCCCXCIV + + +[Illustration: Frontispiece] + +[Margaret, Queen of Navarre, from a crayon drawing by Clouet, preserved +at the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris] + +[Illustration: Titlepage] + + + +CONTENTS OF VOLUME II. + + +FIRST DAY--Continued. + +Tale VIII. The misadventure of Bornet, who, planning with a friend of +his that both should lie with a serving-woman, discovers too late that +they have had to do with his own wife. + +Tale IX. The evil fortune of a gentleman of Dauphine, who dies of +despair because he cannot marry a damsel nobler and richer than himself. + +Tale X. The Spanish story of Florida, who, after withstanding the love +of a gentleman named Amadour for many years, eventually becomes a nun. + + +_SECOND DAY_. + +Prologue + +Tale XI. (A). Mishap of the Lady de Roncex in the Grey Friars' Convent +at Thouars. + +Tale XI. (B). Facetious discourse of a Friar of Touraine. + +Tale XII. Story of Alexander de' Medici, Duke of Florence, whom his +cousin, Lorenzino de' Medici, slew in order to save his sister's honour. + +Tale XIII. Praiseworthy artifice of a lady to whom a sea Captain sent +a letter and diamond ring, and who, by forwarding them to the Captain's +wife as though they had been intended for her, united husband and wife +once more in all affection. + +Tale XIV. The Lord of Bonnivet, after furthering the love entertained +by an Italian gentleman for a lady of Milan, finds means to take +the other's place and so supplant him with the lady who had formerly +rejected himself. + +Tale XV. The troubles and evil fortune of a virtuous lady who, after +being long neglected by her husband, becomes the object of his jealousy. + +Tale XVI. Story of a Milanese Countess, who, after long rejecting the +love of a French gentleman, rewards him at last for his faithfulness, +but not until she has put his courage to the proof. + +Tale XVII. The noble manner in which King Francis the First shows Count +William of Furstemberg that he knows of the plans laid by him against +his life, and so compels him to do justice upon himself and to leave +France. + +XVIII. A young gentleman scholar at last wins a lady's love, after +enduring successfully two trials that she had made of him. + + +Appendix to Vol. II + + + + +PAGE ENGRAVINGS CONTAINED IN VOLUME II. + + +Tale VIII. Bornet's Concern on discovering that his Wife is without her +Ring. + +Tale IX. The Dying Gentleman receiving the Embraces of his Sweetheart. + +Tale X. The Countess asking an Explanation from Amadour. + +Tale XI. (B). The Grey Friar telling his Tales. + +Tale XII. The Gentleman killing the Duke. + +Tale XIII. The Sea-captain talking to the Lady. + +Tale XIV. Bonnivet and the Lady of Milan. + +Tale XV. The Lady taking Oath as to her Conduct. + +Tale XVI. The Gentleman discovering the Trick. + +Tale XVII. The King showing his Sword. + +Tale XVIII. The Student escaping the Temptation. + + +[Illustration: 001a.jpg Bornet's Concern on discovering that his Wife is +without her Ring] + +[Bornet's Concern on discovering that his Wife is without her Ring] + +[Illustration: 001.jpg Page Image] + + + + +_TALE VIII_. + + _A certain Bornet, less loyal to his wife than she to him, + desired to lie with his maidservant, and made his enterprise + known to a friend, who, hoping to share in the spoil, so + aided and abetted him, that whilst the husband thought to + lie with his servant he in truth lay with his wife. Unknown + to the latter, he then caused his friend to participate in + the pleasure which rightly belonged to himself alone, and + thus made himself a cuckold without there being any guilt on + the part of his wife._ (1) + +In the county of Alletz (2) there lived a man named Bornet, who being +married to an upright and virtuous wife, had great regard for her honour +and reputation, as I believe is the case with all the husbands here +present in respect to their own wives. But although he desired that she +should be true to him, he was not willing that the same law should apply +to both, for he fell in love with his maid-servant, from whom he had +nothing to gain save the pleasure afforded by a diversity of viands. + + 1 For a list of tales similar to this one, see _post_, + Appendix A. + + 2 Alletz, now Alais, a town of Lower Languedoc (department + of the Gard), lies on the Gardon, at the foot of the + Cevennes mountains. It was formerly a county, the title + having been held by Charles, Duke of Angouleme, natural son + of Charles IX.--M. + +Now he had a neighbour of the same condition as his own, named Sandras, +a tabourer (3) and tailor by trade, and there was such friendship +between them that, excepting Bornet's wife, they had all things in +common. It thus happened that Bornet told his friend of the enterprise +he had in hand against the maid-servant; and Sandras not only +approved of it, but gave all the assistance he could to further its +accomplishment, hoping that he himself might share in the spoil. + + 3 Tabourers are still to be found in some towns of Lower + Languedoc and in most of those of Provence, where they + perambulate the streets playing their instruments. They are + in great request at all the country weddings and other + festive gatherings, as their instruments supply the + necessary accompaniment to the ancient Provencal dance, the + _farandole_.--Ed. + +The maid-servant, however, was loth to consent, and finding herself hard +pressed, she went to her mistress, told her of the matter, and begged +leave to go home to her kinsfolk, since she could no longer endure to +live in such torment. Her mistress, who had great love for her husband +and had often suspected him, was well pleased to have him thus at a +disadvantage, and to be able to show that she had doubted him justly. +Accordingly, she said to the servant-- + +"Remain, my girl, but lead my husband on by degrees, and at last make an +appointment to lie with him in my closet. Do not fail to tell me on what +night he is to come, and see that no one knows anything about it." + +The maid-servant did all that her mistress had commanded her, and her +master in great content went to tell the good news to his friend. The +latter then begged that, since he had been concerned in the business, +he might have part in the result. This was promised him, and, when the +appointed hour was come, the master went to lie, as he thought, with the +maid-servant; but his wife, yielding up the authority of commanding for +the pleasure of obeying, had put herself in the servant's place, and she +received him, not in the manner of a wife, but after the fashion of +a frightened maid. This she did so well that her husband suspected +nothing. + +I cannot tell you which of the two was the better pleased, he at the +thought that he was deceiving his wife, or she at really deceiving her +husband. When he had remained with her, not as long as he wished, but +according to his powers, which were those of a man who had long been +married, he went out of doors, found his friend, who was much younger +and lustier than himself, and told him gleefully that he had never met +with better fortune. "You know what you promised me," said his friend to +him. + +"Go quickly then," replied the husband, "for she may get up, or my wife +have need of her." + +The friend went off and found the supposed maid-servant, who, thinking +her husband had returned, denied him nothing that he asked of her, or +rather took, for he durst not speak. He remained with her much longer +than her husband had done, whereat she was greatly astonished, for she +had not been wont to pass such nights. Nevertheless, she endured it all +with patience, comforting herself with the thought of what she would say +to him on the morrow, and of the ridicule that she would cast upon him. + +Towards daybreak the man rose from beside her, and toying with her as he +was going away, snatched from her finger the ring with which her husband +had espoused her, and which the women of that part of the country guard +with great superstition. She who keeps it till her death is held in high +honour, while she who chances to lose it, is thought lightly of as a +person who has given her faith to some other than her husband. + +The wife, however, was very glad to have it taken, thinking it would +be a sure proof of how she had deceived her husband. When the friend +returned, the husband asked him how he had fared. He replied that he was +of the same opinion as himself, and that he would have remained longer +had he not feared to be surprised by daybreak. Then they both went to +the friend's house to take as long a rest as they could. In the morning, +while they were dressing, the husband perceived the ring that his friend +had on his finger, and saw that it was exactly like the one he had given +to his wife at their marriage. He thereupon asked his friend from whom +he had received the ring, and when he heard he had snatched it from the +servant's finger, he was confounded and began to strike his head against +the wall, saying--"Ah! good Lord! have I made myself a cuckold without +my wife knowing anything about it?" + +"Perhaps," said his friend in order to comfort him, "your wife gives her +ring into the maid's keeping at night-time." + +The husband made no reply, but took himself home, where he found his +wife fairer, more gaily dressed, and merrier than usual, like one who +rejoiced at having saved her maid's conscience, and tested her husband +to the full, at no greater cost than a night's sleep. Seeing her so +cheerful, the husband said to himself-- + +"If she knew of my adventure she would not show me such a pleasant +countenance." + +Then, whilst speaking to her of various matters, he took her by the +hand, and on noticing that she no longer wore the ring, which she had +never been accustomed to remove from her finger, he was quite overcome. + +"What have you done with your ring?" he asked her in a trembling voice. + +She, well pleased that he gave her an opportunity to say what she +desired, replied-- + +"O wickedest of men! From whom do you imagine you took it? You thought +it was from my maid-servant, for love of whom you expended more than +twice as much of your substance as you ever did for me. The first time +you came to bed I thought you as much in love as it was possible to be; +but after you had gone out and were come back again, you seemed to be +a very devil. Wretch! think how blind you must have been to bestow such +praises on my person and lustiness, which you have long enjoyed +without holding them in any great esteem. 'Twas, therefore, not the +maid-servant's beauty that made the pleasure so delightful to you, but +the grievous sin of lust which so consumes your heart and so clouds +your reason that in the frenzy of your love for the servant you would, +I believe, have taken a she-goat in a nightcap for a comely girl! Now, +husband, it is time to amend your life, and, knowing me to be your wife, +and an honest woman, to be as content with me as you were when you took +me for a pitiful strumpet. What I did was to turn you from your evil +ways, so that in your old age we might live together in true love and +repose of conscience. If you purpose to continue your past life, I had +rather be severed from you than daily see before my eyes the ruin of +your soul, body, and estate. But if you will acknowledge the evil of +your ways, and resolve to live in fear of God and obedience to His +commandments, I will forget all your past sins, as I trust God will +forget my ingratitude in not loving Him as I ought to do." + +If ever man was reduced to despair it was this unhappy husband. Not only +had he abandoned this sensible, fair, and chaste wife for a woman who +did not love him, but, worse than this, he had without her knowledge +made her a strumpet by causing another man to participate in the leasure +which should have been for himself alone; and thus he had made himself +horns of everlasting derision. However, seeing his wife in such wrath +by reason of the love he had borne his maid-servant, he took care not +to tell her of the evil trick that he had played her; and entreating her +forgiveness, with promises of full amendment of his former evil life, +he gave her back the ring which he had recovered from his friend. He +entreated the latter not to reveal his shame; but, as what is whispered +in the ear is always proclaimed from the housetop, the truth, after +a time, became known, and men called him cuckold without imputing any +shame to his wife. + +"It seems to me, ladies, that if all those who have committed like +offences against their wives were to be punished in the same way, Hircan +and Saffredent would have great cause for fear." + +"Why, Longarine," said Saffredent, "are none in the company married save +Hircan and I?" + +"Yes, indeed there are others," she replied, "but none who would play a +similar trick." + +"Whence did you learn," asked Saffredent, "that we ever solicited our +wives' maid-servants?" + +"If the ladies who are in question," said Longarine, "were willing to +speak the truth, we should certainly hear of maid-servants dismissed +without notice." + +"Truly," said Geburon, "you are a most worthy lady! You promised to make +the company laugh, and yet are angering these two poor gentlemen." + +"Tis all one," said Longarine: "so long as they do not draw their +swords, their anger will only serve to increase our laughter." + +"A pretty business indeed!" said Hircan. "Why, if our wives chose to +believe this lady, she would embroil the seemliest household in the +company." + +"I am well aware before whom I speak," said Longarine. "Your wives are +so sensible and bear you so much love, that if you were to give them +horns as big as those of a deer, they would nevertheless try to persuade +themselves and every one else that they were chaplets of roses." + +At this the company, and even those concerned, laughed so heartily that +their talk came to an end. However, Dagoucin, who had not yet uttered a +word, could not help saying-- + +"Men are very unreasonable when, having enough to content themselves +with at home, they go in search of something else. I have often seen +people who, not content with sufficiency, have aimed at bettering +themselves, and have fallen into a worse position than they were in +before. Such persons receive no pity, for fickleness is always blamed." + +"But what say you to those who have not found their other half?" asked +Simontault. "Do you call it fickleness to seek it wherever it may be +found?" + +"Since it is impossible," said Dagoucin, "for a man to know the +whereabouts of that other half with whom there would be such perfect +union that one would not differ from the other, he should remain +steadfast wherever love has attached him. And whatsoever may happen, he +should change neither in heart nor in desire. If she whom you love be +the image of yourself, and there be but one will between you, it is +yourself you love, and not her." + +"Dagoucin," said Hircan, "you are falling into error. You speak as +though we should love women without being loved in return." + +"Hircan," replied Dagoucin, "I hold that if our love be based on the +beauty, grace, love, and favour of a woman, and our purpose be pleasure, +honour, or profit, such love cannot long endure; for when the foundation +on which it rests is gone, the love itself departs from us. But I am +firmly of opinion that he who loves with no other end or desire than to +love well, will sooner yield up his soul in death than suffer his great +love to leave his heart." + +"In faith," said Simontault, "I do not believe that you have ever been +in love. If you had felt the flame like other men, you would not now be +picturing to us Plato's _Republic_, which may be described in writing +but not be put into practice." + +"Nay, I have been in love," said Dagoucin, "and am so still, and +shall continue so as long as I live. But I am in such fear lest the +manifestation of this love should impair its perfection, that I shrink +from declaring it even to her from whom I would fain have the like +affection. I dare not even think of it lest my eyes should reveal +it, for the more I keep my flame secret and hidden, the more does my +pleasure increase at knowing that my love is perfect." + +"For all that," said Geburon, "I believe that you would willingly have +love in return." + +"I do not deny it," said Dagoucin, "but even were I beloved as much as I +love, my love would not be increased any more than it could be lessened, +were it not returned with equal warmth." + +Upon this Parlamente, who suspected this fantasy of Dagoucin's, said-- + +"Take care, Dagoucin; I have known others besides you who preferred to +die rather than speak." + +"Such persons, madam;" said Dagoucin, "I deem very happy." + +"Doubtless," said Saffredent, "and worthy of a place among the innocents +of whom the Church sings: + +'_Non loquendo sed moriendo confessi sunt_.' (4) + + 4 From the ritual for the Feast of the Holy Innocents.--M. + +I have heard much of such timid lovers, but I have never yet seen one +die. And since I myself have escaped death after all the troubles I have +borne, I do not think that any one can die of love." + +"Ah, Saffredent!" said Dagoucin, "how do you expect to be loved since +those who are of your opinion never die? Yet have I known a goodly +number who have died of no other ailment than perfect love." + +"Since you know such stories," said Longarine, "I give you my vote to +tell us a pleasant one, which shall be the ninth of to-day." + +"To the end," said Dagoucin, "that signs and miracles may lead you to +put faith in what I have said, I will relate to you something which +happened less than three years ago." + + +[Illustration: 012.jpg Tailpiece] + +[Illustration: 013a.jpg The Dying Gentleman receiving the Embraces of +his Sweetheart] + +[The Dying Gentleman receiving the Embraces of his Sweetheart] + +[Illustration: 013.jpg Page Image] + + + + +_TALE IX_. + +_The perfect love borne by a gentleman to a damsel, being too deeply +concealed and disregarded, brought about his death, to the great regret +of his sweetheart_. + +Between Dauphine and Provence there lived a gentleman who was far richer +in virtue, comeliness, and honour than in other possessions, and who was +greatly in love with a certain damsel. I will not mention her name, +out of consideration for her kinsfolk, who are of good and illustrious +descent; but you may rest assured that my story is a true one. As he was +not of such noble birth as herself, he durst not reveal his affection, +for the love he bore her was so great and perfect that he would rather +have died than have desired aught to her dishonour. Seeing that he was +so greatly beneath her, he had no hope of marrying her; in his love, +therefore, his only purpose was to love her with all his strength and +as perfectly as he was able. This he did for so long a time that at last +she had some knowledge of it; and, seeing that the love he bore her +was so full of virtue and of good intent, she felt honoured by it, and +showed him in turn so much favour that he, who sought nothing better +than this, was well contented. + +But malice, which is the enemy of all peace, could not suffer this +honourable and happy life to last, and certain persons spoke to the +maiden's mother of their amazement at this gentleman being thought so +much of in her house. They said that they suspected him of coming there +more on account of her daughter than of aught else, adding that he +had often been seen in converse with her. The mother, who doubted the +gentleman's honour as little as that of any of her own children, was +much distressed on hearing that his presence was taken in bad part, and, +dreading lest malicious tongues should cause a scandal, she entreated +that he would not for some time frequent her house as he had been wont +to do. He found this hard to bear, for he knew that his honourable +conversation with her daughter did not deserve such estrangement. +Nevertheless, in order to silence evil gossip, he withdrew until the +rumours had ceased; then he returned as before, his absence having in no +wise lessened his love. + +One day, however, whilst he was in the house, he heard some talk of +marrying the damsel to a gentleman who did not seem to him to be so very +rich that he should be entitled to take his mistress from him. So he +began to pluck up courage, and engaged his friends to speak for him, +believing that, if the choice were left to the damsel, she would prefer +him to his rival. Nevertheless, the mother and kinsfolk chose the +other suitor, because he was much richer; whereupon the poor gentleman, +knowing his sweetheart to be as little pleased as himself, gave way to +such sorrow, that by degrees, and without any other distemper, he became +greatly changed, seeming as though he had covered the comeliness of his +face with the mask of that death, to which hour by hour he was joyously +hastening. + +Meanwhile, he could not refrain from going as often as was possible to +converse with her whom he so greatly loved. But at last, when strength +failed him, he was constrained to keep his bed; yet he would not have +his sweetheart know of this, lest he should cast part of his grief on +her. And giving himself up to despair and sadness, he was no longer able +to eat, drink, sleep, or rest, so that it became impossible to recognise +him by reason of his leanness and strangely altered features. + +Some one brought the news of this to his sweetheart's mother, who was +a lady full of charity, and who had, moreover, such a liking for the +gentleman, that if all the kinsfolk had been of the same opinion as +herself and her daughter, his merits would have been preferred to the +possessions of the other. But the kinsfolk on the father's side would +not hear of it. However, the lady went with her daughter to see the +unhappy gentleman, and found him more dead than alive. Perceiving that +the end of his life was at hand, he had that morning confessed and +received the Holy Sacrament, thinking to die without seeing anybody +more. But although he was at death's door, when he saw her who for him +was the resurrection and the life come in, he felt so strengthened that +he started up in bed. + +"What motive," said he to the lady, "has inclined you to come and see +one who already has a foot in the grave, and of whose death you are +yourself the cause?" + +"How is it possible," said the lady, "that the death of one whom we +like so well can be brought about by our fault? Tell me, I pray, why you +speak in this manner?" + +"Madam," he replied, "I concealed my love for your daughter as long as I +was able; and my kinsfolk, in speaking of a marriage between myself +and her, made known more than I desired, since I have thereby had the +misfortune to lose all hope; not, indeed, in regard to my own pleasure, +but because I know that she will never have such fair treatment and so +much love from any other as she would have had from me. Her loss of +the best and most loving friend she has in the world causes me more +affliction than the loss of my own life, which I desired to preserve for +her sake only. But since it cannot in any wise be of service to her, the +loss of it is to me great gain." + +Hearing these words, the lady and her daughter sought to comfort him. + +"Take courage, my friend," said the mother. "I pledge you my word that, +if God gives you back your health, my daughter shall have no other +husband but you. See, she is here present, and I charge her to promise +you the same." + +The daughter, weeping, strove to assure him of what her mother promised. +He well knew, however, that even if his health were restored he would +still lose his sweetheart, and that these fair words were only uttered +in order somewhat to revive him. Accordingly, he told them that had they +spoken to him thus three months before, he would have been the lustiest +and happiest gentleman in France; but that their aid came so late, it +could bring him neither belief nor hope. Then, seeing that they strove +to make him believe them, he said-- + +"Well, since, on account of my feeble state, you promise me a blessing +which, even though you would yourselves have it so, can never be mine, I +will entreat of you a much smaller one, for which, however, I was never +yet bold enough to ask." + +They immediately vowed that they would grant it, and bade him ask +boldly. + +"I entreat you," he said, "to place in my arms her whom you promise me +for my wife, and to bid her embrace and kiss me." + +The daughter, who was unaccustomed to such familiarity, sought to make +some difficulty, but her mother straightly commanded her, seeing that +the gentleman no longer had the feelings or vigour of a living man. +Being thus commanded, the girl went up to the poor sufferer's bedside, +saying-- + +"I pray you, sweetheart, be of good cheer." + +Then, as well as he could, the dying man stretched forth his arms, +wherein flesh and blood alike were lacking, and with all the strength +remaining in his bones embraced her who was the cause of his death. And +kissing her with his pale cold lips, he held her thus as long as he was +able. Then he said to her-- + +"The love I have borne you has been so great and honourable, that, +excepting in marriage, I have never desired of you any other favour +than the one you are granting me now, for lack of which and with which +I shall cheerfully yield up my spirit to God. He is perfect love and +charity. He knows the greatness of my love and the purity of my desire, +and I beseech Him, while I hold my desire within my arms, to receive my +spirit into His own." + +With these words he again took her in his arms, and with such exceeding +ardour that his enfeebled heart, unable to endure the effort, was +deprived of all its faculties and life; for joy caused it so to swell +that the soul was severed from its abode and took flight to its Creator. + +And even when the poor body had lain a long time without life, and was +thus unable to retain its hold, the love which the damsel had always +concealed was made manifest in such a fashion that her mother and +the dead man's servants had much ado to separate her from her lover. +However, the girl, who, though living, was in a worse condition than if +she had been dead, was by force removed at last out of the gentleman's +arms. To him they gave honourable burial; and the crowning point of +the ceremony was the weeping and lamentation of the unhappy damsel, +who having concealed her love during his lifetime, made it all the more +manifest after his death, as though she wished to atone for the wrong +that she had done him. And I have heard that although she was given a +husband to comfort her, she has never since had joy in her heart. (1) + + 1 By an expression made use of by Dagoucin (see _ante_), + Queen Margaret gives us to understand that the incidents + here related occurred three years prior to the writing of + the story. It may be pointed out, however, that there is + considerable analogy between the conclusion of this tale and + the death of Geffroy Rudel de Blaye, one of the earliest + troubadours whose name has been handed down to us. Geffroy, + who lived at the close of the twelfth century, became so + madly enamoured of the charms of the Countess of Tripoli, + after merely hearing an account of her moral and physical + perfections, that, although in failing health, he embarked + for Africa to see her. On reaching the port of Tripoli, he + no longer had sufficient strength to leave the vessel, + whereupon the Countess, touched by his love, visited him on + board, taking his hand and giving him a kindly greeting. + Geffroy could scarcely say a few words of thanks; his + emotion was so acute that he died upon the spot. See J. de + Nostredame's _Vies des plus Celebres et Anciens Poetes + Provencaux_(Lyons, 1575, p. 25); Raynouard's _Choix des + Poesies des Troubadours_ (vol. v. p. 165); and also + Raynouard's _Histoire Litteraire de la France_ (vol. xiv. p. + 559).--L. + +"What think you of that, gentlemen, you who would not believe what I +said? Is not this example sufficient to make you confess that perfect +love, when concealed and disregarded, may bring folks to the grave? +There is not one among you but knows the kinsfolk on the one and the +other side, (2) and so you cannot doubt the story, although nobody would +be disposed to believe it unless he had some experience in the matter." + + 2 This certainly points to the conclusion that the tale is + founded upon fact, and not, as M. Leroux de Lincy suggests, + borrowed from the story of Geffroy Rudel de Blaye. It will + have been observed (_ante_) that the Queen of Navarre + curiously enough lays the scene of her narrative between + Provence and Dauphine. These two provinces bordered upon one + another, excepting upon one point where they were separated + by the so-called Comtat Venaissin or Papal state of Avignon. + Here, therefore, the incidents of the story, if authentic, + would probably have occurred. The story may be compared with + Tale L. (_post_).--Ed. + +When the ladies heard this they all had tears in their eyes, but Hircan +said to them-- + +"He was the greatest fool I ever heard of. By your faith, now, I ask +you, is it reasonable that we should die for women who are made only for +us, or that we should be afraid to ask them for what God has commanded +them to give us? I do not speak for myself nor for any who are married. +I myself have all that I want or more; but I say it for such men as +are in need. To my thinking, they must be fools to fear those whom they +should rather make afraid. Do you not perceive how greatly this poor +damsel regretted her folly? Since she embraced the gentleman's dead +body--an action repugnant to human nature--she would not have refused +him while he was alive had he then trusted as much to boldness as he +trusted to pity when he lay upon his death-bed." + +"Nevertheless," said Oisille, "the gentleman most plainly showed that he +bore her an honourable love, and for this he will ever be worthy of +all praise. Chastity in a lover's heart is something divine rather than +human." + +"Madam," said Saffredent, "in support of Hircan's opinion, which is also +mine, I pray you believe that Fortune favours the bold, and that there +is no man loved by a lady but may at last, in whole or in part, obtain +from her what he desires, provided he seek it with wisdom and passion. +But ignorance and foolish fear cause men to lose many a good chance; and +then they impute their loss to their mistress's virtue, which they have +never verified with so much as the tip of the finger. A fortress was +never well assailed but it was taken." + +"Nay," said Parlamente, "I am amazed that you two should dare to talk in +this way. Those whom you have loved owe you but little thanks, or else +your courting has been carried on in such evil places that you deem all +women to be alike." + +"For myself, madam," said Saffredent, "I have been so unfortunate that +I am unable to boast; but I impute my bad luck less to the virtue of +the ladies than to my own fault, in not conducting my enterprises with +sufficient prudence and sagacity. In support of my opinion I will cite +no other authority than the old woman in the _Romance of the Rose_, who +says-- + + 'Of all, fair sirs, it truly may be said, + Woman for man and man for woman's made.' (3) + + 3 From John de Mehun's continuation of the poem.--M. 2 + +Accordingly I shall always believe that if love once enters a +woman's heart, her lover will have fair fortune, provided he be not a +simpleton." + +"Well," said Parlamente, "if I were to name to you a very loving woman +who was greatly sought after, beset and importuned, and who, like a +virtuous lady, proved victorious over her heart, flesh, love and lover, +would you believe this true thing possible?" + +"Yes," said he, "I would." + +"Then," said Parlamente, "you must all be hard of belief if you do not +believe this story." + +"Madam," said Dagoucin, "since I have given an example to show how the +love of a virtuous gentleman lasted even until death, I pray you, if you +know any such story to the honour of a lady, to tell it to us, and so +end this day. And be not afraid to speak at length, for there is yet +time to relate many a pleasant matter." + +"Then, since I am to wind up the day," said Parlamente, "I will make no +long preamble, for my story is so beautiful and true that I long to have +you know it as well as I do myself. Although I was not an actual witness +of the events, they were told to me by one of my best and dearest +friends in praise of the man whom of all the world he had loved the +most. But he charged me, should I ever chance to relate them, to change +the names of the persons. Apart, therefore, from the names of persons +and places the story is wholly true." + +[Illustration: 024.jpg Tailpiece] + +[Illustration: 025a.jpg The Countess asking an Explanation from Amadour] + +[The Countess asking an Explanation from Amadour] + +[Illustration: 025.jpg Page Image] + + + + +_TALE X_. + +_Florida, after virtuously resisting Amadour, who had assailed her +honour almost to the last extremity, repaired, upon her husbands death, +to the convent of Jesus, and there took the veil_. (1) + + 1 This tale appears to be a combination of fact and fiction. + Although Queen Margaret states that she has changed the + names of the persons, and also of the places where the + incidents happened, several historical events are certainly + brought into the narrative, the scene of which is laid in + Spain during the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella. M. Le Roux + de Lincy is of opinion, however, that Margaret really refers + to some affair at the Court of Charles VIII. or Louis XII., + and he remarks that there is great similarity between the + position of the Countess of Aranda, left a widow at an early + age with a son and a daughter, and that of Louise of Savoy + with her two children. M. Lacroix and M. Dillaye believe the + hero and heroine to be Admiral de Bonnivet and Margaret. It + has often been suspected that the latter regarded her + brother's favourite with affection until after the attempt + related in Tale IV.--Ed. + +In the county of Aranda, (2) in Aragon, there lived a lady who, while +still very young, was left a widow, with a son and a daughter, by the +Count of Aranda, the name of the daughter being Florida. This lady +strove to bring up her children in all the virtues and qualities which +beseem lords and gentlemen, so that her house was reputed to be one of +the most honourable in all the Spains. She often went to Toledo, where +the King of Spain dwelt, and when she came to Saragossa, which was not +far from her house, she would remain a long while with the Queen and the +Court, by whom she was held in as high esteem as any lady could be. + + 2 Aranda, in the valley of the Duero, between Burgos + and Madrid, is one of the most ancient towns in Spain, but of + miserable aspect, although a large trade is carried on there + in cheap red wines. (Ferdinand and Isabella resided for some + time at Aranda.--Ed.) + +Going one day, according to her custom, to visit the King, then at his +castle of La Jasserye, (3) at Saragossa, this lady passed through a +village belonging to the Viceroy of Catalonia, (4) who, by reason of the +great wars between the kings of France and Spain, had not been wont to +stir from the frontier at Perpignan. But for the time being there was +peace, so that the Viceroy and all his captains had come to do homage to +the King. The Viceroy, learning that the Countess of Aranda was passing +through his domain, went to meet her, not only for the sake of the +ancient friendship he bore her, but in order to do her honour as a +kinswoman of the King's. + + 3 This castle is called La Jafferie in Boaistuau's edition + of 1558, and several learned commentators have speculated as + to which is the correct spelling. Not one of them seems to + have been aware that in the immediate vicinity of Saragossa + there still stands an old castle called El Jaferia or + Aljaferia, which, after being the residence of the Moorish + sovereigns, became that of the Spanish kings of Aragon. It + has of modern times been transformed into barracks.--Ed. + + 4 Henry of Aragon, Duke of Segorbe and Count of Ribagorce, + was Viceroy of Catalonia at this period. He was called the + Infante of Fortune, on account of his father having died + before his birth in 1445.--B. J. + +Now he had in his train many honourable gentlemen, who, in the long +waging of war, had gained such great honour and renown that all who saw +them and consorted with them deemed themselves fortunate. Among others +there was one named Amadour, who, although but eighteen or nineteen +years old, was possessed of such well-assured grace and of such +excellent understanding that he would have been chosen from a +thousand to hold a public office. It is true that this excellence of +understanding was accompanied by such rare and winsome beauty that none +could look at him without pleasure. And if his comeliness was of the +choicest, it was so hard pressed by his speech that one knew not whether +to give the greatest honour to his grace, his beauty, or the excellence +of his conversation. + +What caused him, however, to be still more highly esteemed was his great +daring, which was no whit diminished by his youth. He had already shown +in many places what he could do, so that not only the Spains, but France +and Italy also made great account of his merits. For in all the wars +in which he had taken part he had never spared himself, and when his +country was at peace he would go in quest of wars in foreign lands, +where he was loved and honoured by both friend and foe. + +This gentleman, for the love he bore his commander, had come to the +domain where the Countess of Aranda had arrived, and remarking the +beauty and grace of her daughter Florida, who was then only twelve years +old, he thought to himself that she was the fairest maiden he had ever +seen, and that if he could win her favour it would give him greater +satisfaction than all the wealth and pleasure he might obtain from +another. After looking at her for a long time he resolved to love her, +although his reason told him that what he desired was impossible by +reason of her lineage as well as of her age, which was such that she +could not yet understand any amorous discourse. In spite of this, he +fortified himself with hope, and reflected that time and patience might +bring his efforts to a happy issue. And from that moment the kindly +love, which of itself alone had entered Amadour's heart, assured him of +all favour and the means of attaining his end. + +To overcome the greatest difficulty before him, which consisted in the +remoteness of his own home and the few opportunities he would have of +seeing Florida again, he resolved to get married. This was contrary +to what he had determined whilst with the ladies of Barcelona and +Perpignan, in which places he was in such favour that little or nothing +was refused him; and, indeed, by reason of the wars, he had dwelt so +long on the frontiers that, although he was born near Toledo, he seemed +rather a Catalan than a Castillan. He came of a rich and honourable +house, but being a younger son, he was without patrimony; and thus it +was that Love and Fortune, seeing him neglected by his kin, determined +to make him their masterpiece, endowing him with such qualities as +might obtain what the laws of the land had refused him. He was of +much experience in the art of war, and was so beloved by all lords +and princes that he refused their favours more frequently than he had +occasion to seek them. + +The Countess, of whom I have spoken, arrived then at Saragossa and was +well received by the King and all his Court. The Governor of Catalonia +often came to visit her, and Amadour failed not to accompany him that +he might have the pleasure of merely seeing Florida, for he had no +opportunity of speaking with her. In order to establish himself in this +goodly company he paid his addresses to the daughter of an old knight, +his neighbour. This maiden was named Avanturada, and was so intimate +with Florida that she knew all the secrets of her heart. Amadour, +as much for the worth which he found in Avanturada as for the three +thousand ducats a year which formed her dowry, determined to address her +as a suitor, and she willingly gave ear to him. But as he was poor and +her father was rich, she feared that the latter would never consent +to the marriage except at the instance of the Countess of Aranda. She +therefore had recourse to the lady Florida and said to her-- + +"You have seen, madam, that Castilian gentleman who often talks to me. +I believe that all his aim is to have me in marriage. You know, however, +what kind of father I have; he will never consent to the match unless he +be earnestly entreated by the Countess and you." + +Florida, who loved the damsel as herself, assured her that she would +lay the matter to heart as though it were for her own benefit; and +Avanturada then ventured so far as to present Amadour to her. He was +like to swoon for joy on kissing Florida's hand, and although he was +accounted the readiest speaker in Spain, yet in her presence he became +dumb. At this she was greatly surprised, for, although she was only +twelve years old, she had already often heard it said that there was no +man in Spain who could speak better or with more grace. So, finding that +he said nothing to her, she herself spoke. + +"Senor Amadour," she began, "the renown you enjoy throughout all the +Spains has made you known to everybody here, and all are desirous of +affording you pleasure. If therefore I can in any way do this, you may +dispose of me." + +Amadour was in such rapture at sight of the lady's beauty that he could +scarcely utter his thanks. However, although Florida was astonished to +find that he made no further reply, she imputed it rather to some whim +than to the power of love; and so she withdrew, without saying anything +more. + +Amadour, who perceived the qualities which even in earliest youth were +beginning to show themselves in Florida, now said to her whom he desired +to marry-- + +"Do not be surprised if I lost the power of utterance in presence of +the lady Florida. I was so astonished at finding such qualities and such +sensible speech in one so very young that I knew not what to say to her. +But I pray you, Avanturada, you who know her secrets, tell me if she +does not of necessity possess the hearts of all the gentlemen of the +Court. Any who know her and do not love her must be stones or brutes." + +Avanturada, who already loved Amadour more than any other man in the +world, could conceal nothing from him, but told him that Florida was +loved by every one. However, by reason of the custom of the country, few +spoke to her, and only two had as yet made any show of love towards +her. These were two princes of Spain, and they desired to marry her, one +being the son of the Infante of Fortune (5) and the other the young Duke +of Cardona. (6) + + 5 M. Lacroix asserts that the Infante of Fortune left no son + by his wife, Guyomare de Castro y Norogna; whereas M. Le + Roux de Lincy contends that he had a son--Alfonso of Aragon-- + who in 1506 was proposed as a husband for Crazy Jane. + Alfonso would therefore probably be the prince referred to + by Margaret.--Ed. + + 6 Cardona, a fortified town on the river Cardoner, at a few + miles from Barcelona, was a county in the time of Ferdinand + and Isabella, and was raised by them to the rank of a duchy + in favour of Ramon Folch I. To-day it has between two and + three thousand inhabitants, and is chiefly noted for its + strongly built castillo. The young Duke spoken of by Queen + Margaret would be Ramon Folch's son, who was also named + Ramon.--B. J. and Ed. + +"I pray you," said Amadour, "tell me which of them you think she loves +the most." + +"She is so discreet," said Avanturada, "that on no account would she +confess to having any wish but her mother's. Nevertheless, as far as can +be judged, she likes the son of the Infante of Fortune far more than she +likes the young Duke of Cardona. But her mother would rather have her at +Cardona, for then she would not be so far away. I hold you for a man +of good understanding, and, if you are so minded, you may judge of her +choice this very day, for the son of the Infante of Fortune, who is one +of the handsomest and most accomplished princes in Christendom, is being +brought up at this Court. If we damsels could decide the marriage by our +opinions, he would be sure of having the Lady Florida, for they would +make the comeliest couple in all Spain. You must know that, although +they are both young, she being but twelve and he but fifteen, it is +now three years since their love for each other first began; and if +you would secure her favour, I advise you to become his friend and +follower." + +Amadour was well pleased to find that Florida loved something, hoping +that in time he might gain the place not of husband but of lover. He had +no fear in regard to her virtue, but was rather afraid lest she should +be insensible to love. After this conversation he began to consort with +the son of the Infante of Fortune, and readily gained his favour, being +well skilled in all the pastimes that the young Prince was fond of, +especially in the handling of horses, in the practice of all kinds of +weapons, and indeed in every diversion and pastime befitting a young +man. + +However, war broke out again in Languedoc, and it was necessary that +Amadour should return thither with the Governor. This he did, but not +without great regret, since he could in no wise contrive to return to +where he might see Florida. Accordingly, when he was setting forth, he +spoke to a brother of his, who was majordomo to the Queen of Spain, +and told him of the good match he had found in the Countess of Aranda's +house, in the person of Avanturada; entreating him, in his absence, +to do all that he could to bring about the marriage, by employing his +credit with the King, the Queen, and all his friends. The majordomo, who +was attached to his brother, not only by reason of their kinship, but on +account of Amadour's excellent qualities, promised to do his best. This +he did in such wise that the avaricious old father forgot his own nature +to ponder over the qualities of Amadour, as pictured to him by the +Countess of Aranda, and especially by the fair Florida, as well as by +the young Count of Aranda, who was now beginning to grow up, and to +esteem people of merit. When the marriage had been agreed upon by the +kinsfolk, the Queen's majordomo sent for his brother, there being at +that time a truce between the two kings. (7) + +Meanwhile, the King of Spain withdrew to Madrid to avoid the bad air +which prevailed in divers places, and, by the advice of his Council, as +well as at the request of the Countess of Aranda, he consented to the +marriage of the young Count with the heiress Duchess of Medina Celi. +(8) He did this no less for their contentment and the union of the two +houses than for the affection he bore the Countess of Aranda; and he +caused the marriage to be celebrated at the castle of Madrid. (9) + + 7 There had been a truce in 1497, but Queen Margaret + probably alludes to that of four months' duration towards + the close of 1503.--B.J. + + 8 Felix-Maria, widow of the Duke of Feria, and elder sister + of Luis Francisco de la Cerda, ninth of the name. She became + heiress to the titles and estates of the house of Medina- + Celi upon her brother's death. If, however, Queen Margaret + is really describing some incident in her own life, she must + refer to Louis XII.'s daughter, Claude, married in 1514 to + Francis I.--D. + + 9 The castle here referred to was the Moorish Alcazar, + destroyed by fire in 1734. The previous statement that King + Ferdinand withdrew to Madrid on account of the bad air + prevailing in other places is borne out by the fact that the + town enjoyed a most delightful climate prior to the + destruction of the forests which surrounded it.--Ed. + +Amadour was present at this wedding, and succeeded so well in furthering +his own union, that he married Avanturada, whose affection for him was +far greater than his was for her. But this marriage furnished him with a +very convenient cloak, and gave him an excuse for resorting to the place +where his spirit ever dwelt. After he was married he became very bold +and familiar in the Countess of Aranda's household, so that he was no +more distrusted than if he had been a woman. And although he was +now only twenty-two years of age, he showed such good sense that the +Countess of Aranda informed him of all her affairs, and bade her son +consult with him and follow his counsel. + +Having gained their esteem thus far, Amadour comported himself so +prudently and calmly that even the lady he loved was not aware of his +affection for her. By reason, however, of the love she bore his wife, to +whom she was more attached than to any other woman, she concealed none +of her thoughts from him, and was pleased to tell him of all her love +for the son of the Infante of Fortune. Although Amadour's sole aim was +to win her entirely for himself, he continually spoke to her of +the Prince; indeed, he cared not what might be the subject of their +converse, provided only that he could talk to her for a long time. +However, he had not remained a month in this society after his marriage +when he was constrained to return to the war, and he was absent for more +than two years without returning to see his wife, who continued to live +in the place where she had been brought up. + +Meanwhile Amadour often wrote to her, but his letters were for the most +part messages to Florida, who on her side never failed to return them, +and would with her own hand add some pleasant words to the letters which +Avanturada wrote. It was on this account that the husband of the latter +wrote to her very frequently; yet of all this Florida knew nothing +except that she loved Amadour as if he had been her brother. Several +times during the course of five years did Amadour return and go away +again; yet so short was his stay that he did not see Florida for two +months altogether. Nevertheless, in spite of distance and length of +absence, his love continued to increase. + +At last it happened that he made a journey to see his wife, and found +the Countess far removed from the Court, for the King of Spain was gone +into Andalusia, (10) taking with him the young Count of Aranda, who was +already beginning to bear arms. + + 10 There had been a revolt at Granada in 1499, and in the + following year the Moors rose in the Alpujarras, whereupon + King Ferdinand marched against them in person.--L. + +Thus the Countess had withdrawn to a country-house belonging to her +on the frontiers of Aragon and Navarre. She was well pleased on seeing +Amadour, who had now been away for nearly three years. He was made +welcome by all, and the Countess commanded that he should be treated +like her own son. Whilst he was with her she informed him of all the +affairs of her household, leaving most of them to his judgment. And so +much credit did he win in her house that wherever he visited all doors +were opened to him, and, indeed, people held his prudence in such high +esteem that he was trusted in all things as though he had been an angel +or a saint. + +Florida, by reason of the love she bore his wife and himself, sought +him out wherever he went. She had no suspicion of his purpose, and was +unrestrained in her manners, for her heart was free from love, save that +she felt great contentment whenever she was near Amadour. To more than +this she gave not a thought. + +Amadour, however, had a hard task to escape the observation of those +who knew by experience how to distinguish a lover's looks from another +man's; for when Florida, thinking no evil, came and spoke familiarly to +him, the fire that was hidden in his heart so consumed him that he could +not keep the colour from rising to his face or sparks of flame from +darting from his eyes. Thus, in order that none might be any the wiser, +he began to pay court to a very beautiful lady named Paulina, a woman +so famed for beauty in her day that few men who saw her escaped from her +toils. + +This Paulina had heard how Amadour had made love at Barcelona and +Perpignan, insomuch that he had gained the affection of the highest and +most beautiful ladies in the land, especially that of a certain Countess +of Palamos, who was esteemed the first for beauty among all the ladies +of Spain; and she told him that she greatly pitied him, since, after so +much good fortune, he had married such an ugly wife. Amadour, who well +understood by these words that she had a mind to supply his need, made +her the fairest speeches he could devise, seeking to conceal the truth +by persuading her of a falsehood. But she, being subtle and experienced +in love, was not to be put off with mere words; and feeling sure that +his heart was not to be satisfied with such love as she could give him, +she suspected he wished to make her serve as a cloak, and so kept close +watch upon his eyes. These, however, knew so well how to dissemble, that +she had nothing to guide her but the barest suspicion. + +Nevertheless, her observation sorely troubled Amadour; for Florida, who +was ignorant of all these wiles, often spoke to him before Paulina in +such a familiar fashion that he had to make wondrous efforts to compel +his eyes to belie his heart. To avoid unpleasant consequences, he one +day, while leaning against a window, spoke thus to Florida-- + +"I pray you, sweetheart, counsel me whether it is better for a man to +speak or die?" + +Florida forthwith replied-- + +"I shall always counsel my friends to speak and not to die. There +are few words that cannot be mended, but life once lost can never be +regained." + +"Will you promise me, then," said Amadour, "that you will not be +displeased by what I wish to tell you, nor yet alarmed at it, until you +have heard me to the end?" + +"Say what you will," she replied; "if you alarm me, none can reassure +me." + +"For two reasons," he then began, "I have hitherto been unwilling to +tell you of the great affection that I feel for you. First, I wished to +prove it to you by long service, and secondly, I feared that you might +deem it presumption in me, who am but a simple gentleman, to address +myself to one upon whom it is not fitting that I should look. And +even though I were of royal station like your own, your heart, in its +loyalty, would suffer none save the son of the Infante of Fortune, +who has won it, to speak to you of love. But just as in a great war +necessity compels men to devastate their own possessions and to destroy +their corn in the blade, that the enemy may derive no profit therefrom, +so do I risk anticipating the fruit which I had hoped to gather in +season, lest your enemies and mine profit by it to your detriment. +Know, then, that from your earliest youth I have devoted myself to your +service and have ever striven to win your favour. For this purpose alone +I married her whom I thought you loved best, and, being acquainted with +the love you bear to the son of the Infante of Fortune, I have striven +to serve him and consort with him, as you yourself know. I have sought +with all my power for everything that I thought could give you pleasure. +You see that I have won the esteem of your mother, the Countess, and +of your brother, the Count, and of all you love, so that I am regarded +here, not as a dependant, but as one of the family. All my efforts for +five years past have had no other end than that I might spend my whole +life near you. + +"Understand that I am not one of those who would by these means seek to +obtain from you any favour or pleasure otherwise than virtuous. I know +that I cannot marry you, and even if I could, I would not do so in face +of the love you bear him whom I would fain see your husband. And as for +loving you with a vicious love like those who hope that long service +will bring them a reward to the dishonour of a lady, that is far from my +purpose. I would rather see you dead than know that you were less worthy +of being loved, or that your virtue had diminished for the sake of +any pleasure to me. For the end and reward of my service I ask but one +thing, namely, that you will be so faithful a mistress to me, as never +to take your favour from me, and that you will suffer me to continue as +I now am, trusting in me more than in any other, and accepting from me +the assurance that if for your honour's sake, or for aught concerning +you, you ever have need of a gentleman's life, I will gladly place mine +at your disposal. You may be sure also that whatever I may do that is +honourable and virtuous, will be done solely for love of you. If for the +sake of ladies less worthy than you I have ever done anything that has +been considered of account, be sure that, for a mistress like yourself, +my enterprise will so increase, that things I heretofore found +impossible will become very easy to me. If, however, you will not accept +me as wholly yours, I am resolved to lay aside my arms and to renounce +the valour which has failed to help me in my need. So I pray you grant +me my just request, for your honour and conscience cannot refuse it." + +The maiden, hearing these unwonted words, began to change colour and to +cast down her eyes like a woman in alarm. However, being sensible and +discreet, she replied-- + +"Since you already have what you ask of me, Amadour, why make me such +a long harangue? I fear me lest beneath your honourable words there be +some hidden guile to deceive my ignorance and youth, and I am sorely +perplexed what to reply. Were I to refuse the honourable love you offer, +I should do contrary to what I have hitherto done, for I have always +trusted you more than any other man in the world. Neither my conscience +nor my honour oppose your request, nor yet the love I bear the son of +the Infante of Fortune, for that is founded on marriage, to which you do +not aspire. I know of nothing that should hinder me from answering you +according to your desire, if it be not a fear arising from the small +need you have for talking to me in this wise; for if what you ask is +already yours, why speak of it so ardently?" + +Amadour, who was at no loss for an answer, then said to her-- + +"Madam, you speak very discreetly, and you honour me so greatly by the +trust which you say you have in me, that if I were not satisfied with +such good fortune I should be quite unworthy of it. But consider, madam, +that he who would build an edifice to last for ever must be careful +to have a sure and stable foundation. In the same way I, wishing to +continue for ever in your service, must not only take care to have the +means of remaining near to you, but also to prevent any one from knowing +of the great affection that I bear you. Although it is honourable enough +to be everywhere proclaimed, yet those who know nothing of lovers' +hearts often judge contrary to the truth, and thence come reports as +mischievous as though they were true. I have been prompted to say this, +and led to declare my love to you, because Paulina, feeling in her heart +that I cannot love her, holds me in suspicion and does nought but watch +my face wherever I may be. Hence, when you come and speak to me so +familiarly in her presence, I am in great fear lest I should make some +sign on which she may ground her judgment, and should so fall into that +which I am anxious to avoid. For this reason I am lead to entreat you +not to come and speak to me so suddenly before her or before others whom +you know to be equally malicious, for I would rather die than have any +living creature know the truth. Were I not so regardful of your honour, +I should not have sought this converse with you, for I hold myself +sufficiently happy in the love and trust you bear me, and I ask nothing +more save that they may continue." + +Florida, who could not have been better pleased, began to be sensible +of an unwonted feeling in her heart. She saw how honourable were the +reasons which he laid before her; and she told him that virtue and +honour replied for her, and that she granted him his request. Amadour's +joy at this no true lover can doubt. + +Florida, however, gave more heed to his counsel than he desired, for she +became timid not only in presence of Paulina but elsewhere, and ceased +to seek him out as she had been accustomed to do. While they were thus +separated she took Amadour's constant converse with Paulina in bad part, +for, seeing that the latter was beautiful, she could not believe +that Amadour did not love her. To beguile her sorrow she conversed +continually with Avanturada, who was beginning to feel very jealous of +her husband and Paulina, and often complained of them to Florida, who +comforted her as well as she could, being herself smitten with the same +disease. Amadour soon perceived the change in Florida's demeanour, and +forthwith thought that she was keeping aloof from him not merely by his +own advice, but also on account of some bitter fancies of her own. + +One day, when they were coming from vespers at a monastery, he spoke to +her, and asked-- + +"What countenance is this you show me, madam?" + +"That which I believe you desire," replied Florida. + +Thereupon, suspecting the truth, and desiring to know whether he was +right, he said to her-- + +"I have used my time so well, madam, that Paulina no longer has any +suspicion of you." + +"You could not do better," she replied, "both for yourself and for me. +While giving pleasure to yourself you bring me honour." + +Amadour gathered from this speech that she believed he took pleasure in +conversing with Paulina, and so great was his despair that he could not +refrain from saying angrily to her-- + +"In truth, madam, you begin betimes to torment your lover and pelt him +with hard words. I do not think I ever had a more irksome task than to +be obliged to hold converse with a lady I do not love. But since you +take what I have done to serve you in bad part, I will never speak +to her again, happen what may. And that I may hide my wrath as I have +hidden my joy, I will betake me to some place in the neighbourhood, and +there wait till your caprice has passed away. I hope, however, I shall +there receive tidings from my captain and be called back to the war, +where I will remain long enough to show you that nothing but yourself +has kept me here." + +So saying, he forthwith departed without waiting for her reply. + +Florida felt the greatest vexation and sorrow imaginable; and love, +meeting with opposition, began to put forth its mighty strength. She +perceived that she had been in the wrong, and wrote continually to +Amadour entreating him to return, which he did after a few days, when +his anger had abated. + +I cannot undertake to tell you minutely all that they said to each other +in order to destroy this jealousy. But at all events he won the victory, +and she promised him that not only would she never believe he loved +Paulina, but that she would ever be convinced he found it an intolerable +martyrdom to speak either to Paulina or to any one else except to do +herself a service. + +When love had conquered this first suspicion, and while the two lovers +were beginning to take fresh pleasure in conversing together, news came +that the King of Spain was sending all his army to Salces. (11) + + 11 Salces, a village about fifteen miles north of Perpignan, + noted for its formidable fortress, still existing and + commanding a pass through the Corbiere Mountains, which in + the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries separated France from + Roussillon, then belonging to Spain. The French burnt the + village and demolished the fort of Salces in 1496, but the + latter was rebuilt by the Spaniards in the most massive + style. The walls of the fort are 66 feet thick at the base + and 54 feet thick at the summit. When Queen Margaret + returned from Spain in 152,5 she reached France by the pass + of Salces. (See vol. i. p. xlvi.).--Ed. + +Amadour, accustomed ever to be the first in battle, failed not to seize +this opportunity of winning renown; but in truth he set forth with +unwonted regret, both on account of the pleasure he was losing and +because he feared that he might find a change on his return. He knew +that Florida, who was now fifteen or sixteen years old, was sought in +marriage by many great princes and lords, and he reflected that if she +were married during his absence he might have no further opportunity of +seeing her, unless, indeed, the Countess of Aranda gave her his wife, +Avanturada, as a companion. However, by skilful management with his +friends, he obtained a promise from both mother and daughter that +wherever Florida might go after her marriage thither should his wife, +Avanturada, accompany her. Although it was proposed to marry Florida +in Portugal, it was nevertheless resolved that Avanturada should never +leave her. With this assurance, yet not without unspeakable regret, +Amadour went away and left his wife with the Countess. + +When Florida found herself alone after his departure, she set about +doing such good and virtuous works as she hoped might win her the +reputation that belongs to the most perfect women, and might prove her +to be worthy of such a lover as Amadour. He having arrived at Barcelona, +was there welcomed by the ladies as of old; but they found a greater +change in him than they believed it possible for marriage to effect in +any man. He seemed to be vexed by the sight of things he had +formerly desired; and even the Countess of Palamos, whom he had loved +exceedingly, could not persuade him to visit her. + +Amadour remained at Barcelona as short a time as possible, for he was +impatient to reach Salces, where he alone was now awaited. When he +arrived, there began between the two kings that great and cruel war +which I do not purpose to describe. (12) Neither will I recount the +noble deeds that were done by Amadour, for then my story would take up +an entire day; but you must know that he won renown far above all his +comrades. The Duke of Najera (13) having arrived at Perpignan in command +of two thousand men, requested Amadour to be his lieutenant, and so well +did Amadour fulfil his duty with this band, that in every skirmish the +only cry was "Najera!" (14) + + 12 In 1503 the French, under Marshals de Rieux and de Gie, + again besieged Salces, which had a garrison of 1200 men. The + latter opposed a vigorous defence during two months, and + upon the arrival of the old Duke of Alba with an army of + succour the siege had to be raised.--B. J. + + 13 Pedro Manriquez de Lara, Count of Trevigno, created Duke + of Najera by Ferdinand and Isabella in 1501.--B. J. + + 14 The Duke's war-cry, repeated by his followers as a + rallying signal in the _melee_. War-cries varied greatly. + "Montjoie St. Denis" was that of the kings of France, and + "Passavant le meilleur" (the best to the front) that of the + Counts of Champagne. In other instances the war-cry + consisted of a single word, "Bigorre" being that of the + kings of Navarre, and "Flanders" that of the Princess of + Beaujeu. When the war-cry was merely a name, as in the case + of the Duke of Najera, it belonged to the head of the + family.--D. + +Now it came to pass that the King of Tunis, who for a long time had been +at war with the Spaniards, heard that the kings of France and Spain were +warring with each other on the frontiers of Perpignan and Narbonne, and +bethought himself that he could have no better opportunity of vexing the +King of Spain. Accordingly, he sent a great number of light galleys and +other vessels to plunder and destroy all such badly-guarded places as +they could find on the coasts of Spain. (15)The people of Barcelona +seeing a great fleet passing in front of their town, sent word of the +matter to the Viceroy, who was at Salces, and he forthwith despatched +the Duke of Najera to Palamos. (16) When the Moors saw that place +so well guarded, they made a feint of passing on; but returning at +midnight, they landed a large number of men, and the Duke of Najera, +being surprised by the enemy, was taken prisoner. + + 15 The above two sentences, deficient in the MS. followed by + M. Le Roux de Lincy, have been borrowed from MS. No. 1520 + (Bib. Nat.). It was in 1503 that a Moorish flotilla ravaged + the coast of Catalonia.--Ed. + + 16 The village of Palamos, on the shores of the + Mediterranean, south of Cape Bagur, and within fifteen miles + from Gerona.--Ed. + +Amadour, who was on the alert and heard the din, forthwith assembled as +many of his men as possible, and defended himself so stoutly that the +enemy, in spite of their numbers, were for a long time unable to prevail +against him. But at last, hearing that the Duke of Najera was taken, and +that the Turks had resolved to set fire to Palamos and burn him in the +house which he was holding against them, he thought it better to yield +than to cause the destruction of the brave men who were with him. He +also hoped that by paying a ransom he might yet see Florida again. +Accordingly, he gave himself up to a Turk named Dorlin, a governor of +the King of Tunis, who brought him to his master. By the latter he was +well received and still better guarded; for the King deemed that in him +he held the Achilles of all the Spains. + +Thus Amadour continued for two years in the service of the King of +Tunis. The news of the captures having reached Spain, the kinsfolk +of the Duke of Najera were in great sorrow; but those who held the +country's honour dear deemed Amadour the greater loss. The rumour came +to the house of the Countess of Aranda, where the hapless Avanturada at +that time lay grievously sick. The Countess, who had great misgivings as +to the affection which Amadour bore to her daughter, though she suffered +it and concealed it for the sake of the merits she perceived in him, +took Florida apart and told her the mournful tidings. Florida, who was +well able to dissemble, replied that it was a great loss to the entire +household, and that above all she pitied his poor wife, who was herself +so ill. Nevertheless, seeing that her mother wept exceedingly, she shed +a few tears to bear her company; for she feared that if she dissembled +too far the feint might be discovered. From that time the Countess often +spoke to her of Amadour, but never could she surprise a look to guide +her judgment. + +I will pass over the pilgrimages, prayers, supplications, and fasts +which Florida regularly performed to ensure the safety of Amadour. +As soon as he had arrived at Tunis, he failed not to send tidings of +himself to his friends, and by a trusty messenger he apprised Florida +that he was in good health, and had hopes of seeing her again. This was +the only consolation the poor lady had in her grief, and you may be sure +that, since she was permitted to write, she did so with all diligence, +so that Amadour had no lack of her letters to comfort him. + +The Countess of Aranda was about this time commanded to repair to +Saragossa, where the King had arrived; and here she found the young +Duke of Cardona, who so pressed the King and Queen that they begged +the Countess to give him their daughter in marriage. (17) The Countess +consented, for she was unwilling to disobey them in anything, and +moreover she considered that her daughter, being so young, could have no +will of her own. + + 17 The Spanish historians state that in 1513 the King, to + put an end to a quarrel between the Count of Aranda and the + Count of Ribagorce, charged Father John of Estuniga, + Provincial of the Order of St. Francis, to negotiate a + reconciliation between them, based on the marriage of the + eldest daughter of the Count of Aranda with the eldest son + of the Count of Ribagorce. The latter refusing his consent, + was banished from the kingdom.--D. + +When all was settled, she told Florida that she had chosen for her the +match which seemed most suitable. Florida, knowing that when a thing is +once done there is small room for counsel, replied that God was to be +praised for all things; and, finding her mother look coldly upon her, +she sought rather to obey her than to take pity on herself. It scarcely +comforted her in her sorrows to learn that the son of the Infante of +Fortune was sick even to death; but never, either in presence of her +mother or of any one else, did she show any sign of grief. So strongly +did she constrain herself, that her tears, driven perforce back into her +heart, caused so great a loss of blood from the nose that her life was +endangered; and, that she might be restored to health, she was given in +marriage to one whom she would willingly have exchanged for death. + +After the marriage Florida departed with her husband to the duchy of +Cardona, taking with her Avanturada, whom she privately acquainted with +her sorrow, both as regards her mother's harshness and her own regret +at having lost the son of the Infante of Fortune; but she never spoke of +her regret for Amadour except to console his wife. + +This young lady then resolved to keep God and honour before her eyes. So +well did she conceal her grief, that none of her friends perceived that +her husband was displeasing to her. + +In this way she spent a long time, living a life that was worse than +death, as she failed not to inform her lover Amadour, who, knowing the +virtue and greatness of her heart, as well as the love that she had +borne to the son of the Infante of Fortune, thought it impossible that +she could live long, and mourned for her as for one that was more than +dead. This sorrow was an increase to his former grief, and forgetting +his own distress in that which he knew his sweetheart was enduring, he +would willingly have continued all his life the slave he was if Florida +could thereby have had a husband after her own heart. He learnt from a +friend whom he had gained at the Court of Tunis that the King, wishing +to keep him if only he could make a good Turk of him, intended to give +him his choice between impalement and the renunciation of his faith. +Thereupon he so addressed himself to his master, the governor who had +taken him prisoner, that he persuaded him to release him on parole. His +master named, however, a much higher ransom than he thought could be +raised by a man of such little wealth, and then, without speaking to the +King, he let him go. + +When Amadour reached the Court of the King of Spain, he stayed there but +a short time, and then, in order to seek his ransom among his friends, +he repaired to Barcelona, whither the young Duke of Cardona, his mother, +and Florida had gone on business. As soon as Avanturada heard that her +husband was returned, she told the news to Florida, who rejoiced as +though for love of her friend. Fearing, however, that her joy at seeing +Amadour might make her change her countenance, and that those who did +not know her might think wrongly of her, she remained at a window in +order to see him coming from afar. As soon as she perceived him she went +down by a dark staircase, so that none could see whether she changed +colour, and embracing Amadour, led him to her room, and thence to her +mother-in-law, who had never seen him. He had not been there for two +days before he was loved as much as he had been in the household of the +Countess of Aranda. + +I leave you to imagine the conversation that he and Florida had +together, and how she complained to him of the misfortunes that had come +to her in his absence. After shedding many tears of sorrow, both for +having been married against her will and also for having lost one she +loved so dearly without any hope of seeing him again, she resolved to +take consolation from the love and trust she had towards Amadour. Though +she durst not declare the truth, he suspected it, and lost neither time +nor opportunity to show her how much he loved her. + +Just when Florida was all but persuaded to receive him, not as a lover, +but as a true and perfect friend, a misfortune came to pass, for the +King summoned Amadour to him concerning some important matter. + +His wife was so grieved on hearing these tidings that she swooned, and +falling down a staircase on which she was standing, was so hurt that she +never rose again. Florida having by this death lost all her consolation, +mourned like one who felt herself bereft of friends and kin. But Amadour +grieved still more; for on the one part he lost one of the best wives +that ever lived, and on the other the means of ever seeing Florida +again. This caused him such sorrow that he was near coming by a sudden +death. The old Duchess of Cardona visited him incessantly, reciting the +arguments of philosophers why he should endure his loss with patience. +But all was of no avail; for if on the one hand his wife's death +afflicted him, on the other his love increased his martyrdom. Having no +longer any excuse to stay when his wife was buried, and his master again +summoned him, his despair was such that he was like to lose his reason. + +Florida, who thinking to comfort him, was herself the cause of his +greatest grief, spent a whole afternoon in the most gracious converse +with him in order to lessen his sorrow, and assured him that she would +find means to see him oftener than he thought. Then, as he was to depart +on the following morning, and was so weak that he could scarcely stir +from his bed, he prayed her to come and see him in the evening after +every one else had left him. This she promised to do, not knowing that +love in extremity is void of reason. + +Amadour altogether despaired of ever again seeing her whom he had loved +so long, and from whom he had received no other treatment than I have +described. Racked by secret passion and by despair at losing all means +of consorting with her, he resolved to play at double or quits, and +either lose her altogether or else wholly win her, and so pay himself in +an hour the reward which he thought he had deserved. Accordingly he had +his bed curtained in such a manner that those who came into the room +could not see him; and he complained so much more than he had done +previously that all the people of the house thought he had not +twenty-four hours to live. + +After every one else had visited him, Florida, at the request of her +husband himself, came in the evening, hoping to comfort him by declaring +her affection and by telling him that, so far as honour allowed, she was +willing to love him. She sat down on a chair beside the head of his +bed, and began her consolation by weeping with him. Amadour, seeing her +filled with such sorrow, thought that in her distress he might the more +readily achieve his purpose, and raised himself up in the bed. Florida, +thinking that he was too weak to do this, sought to prevent him, but he +threw himself on his knees before her saying, "Must I lose sight of you +for ever?" Then he fell into her arms like one exhausted. The hapless +Florida embraced him and supported him for a long time, doing all she +could to comfort him. But what she offered him to cure his pain only +increased it; and while feigning to be half dead, he, without saying a +word, strove to obtain that which the honour of ladies forbids. + +When Florida perceived his evil purpose, in which she could hardly +believe after all his honourable conversation, she asked him what he +sought to do. Amadour, fearing her reply, which he knew could not +be otherwise than chaste and virtuous, said nothing, but pursued his +attempt with all the strength that he could muster. Florida, greatly +astonished, suspected rather that he had lost his senses than that he +was really bent upon her dishonour, and called out to a gentleman whom +she knew to be in the room; whereupon Amadour in extreme despair flung +himself back upon his bed so suddenly that the gentleman thought him +dead. + +Florida, who had risen from her chair, then said to the gentleman-- + +"Go quickly for some strong vinegar." + +This the gentleman did, whereupon Florida said-- + +"What madness, Amadour, has mounted to your brain? What was it you +thought and wished to do?" + +Amadour, who had lost all reason in the vehemence of his love, replied-- + +"Does so long a service merit so cruel a reward?" + +"And what of the honour of which you have so often preached to me?" said +Florida. + +"Ah! madam," said Amadour, "it would be impossible to hold your honour +more dear than I have held it. Before you were married, I was able so +to subdue my heart that you knew nothing of my desires, but now that you +are wedded and your honour may be shielded, do I wrong you in asking for +what is mine? By the strength of my love I have won you. He who first +possessed your heart had so little desire for your person that he +deserved to lose both. He who now owns your person is not worthy to have +your heart, and hence even your person does not properly belong to him. +But for five or six years I have for your sake borne many pains and +woes, which must show you that your body and heart belong to me alone. +Think not to defend yourself by speaking of conscience, for when love +constrains body and heart sin is never imputed. Those who are driven by +frenzy so far as to slay themselves cannot sin, for passion leaves no +room for reason; and if the passion of love be more intolerable than any +other, and more blinding to the senses, what sin could you fasten upon +one who yields to the conduct of such indomitable power? I am going +away, and have no hope of ever seeing you again; but if before my +departure I could have of you that assurance which the greatness of +my love deserves, I should be strengthened sufficiently to endure in +patience the sorrows of a long separation. If you will not grant me my +request you will ere long learn that your harshness has brought me to a +miserable and a cruel death." (18) + + 18 The passage commencing "Those who are driven" and ending + "a cruel death" is deficient in the earlier editions of the + _Heptameron_, which give the following in place of it: "Do + not doubt but what those who have felt the power of love + will cast the blame on you who have so robbed me of my + liberty and dazzled my senses with your divine graces, that + not knowing what to do henceforth, I am constrained to go + away without the hope of ever seeing you again; certain, + however, that wherever I may be, you will still have part of + my heart, which will ever remain yours, be I on land, on the + sea, or in the hands of my most cruel enemies." The above is + one of various instances of the liberty taken by Boaistuau + and Gruget with Margaret's text.--Ed. + +Florida was not less grieved than astonished to hear these words from +one whom she had never imagined capable of such discourse, and, weeping, +she thus replied-- + +"Alas, Amadour, is this the honourable converse that we used to have +together while I was young? Is this the honour or conscience which many +a time you counselled me to value more than life? Have you forgotten +both the worthy examples you set before me of virtuous ladies who +withstood unholy love, and also your own contempt for erring women? I +cannot believe you so changed, Amadour, that regard for God, your own +conscience, and my honour is wholly dead within you. But if it indeed +be as you say, I praise the divine goodness which has prevented the +misfortune into which I was about to fall, and has revealed to me by +your own words the heart of which I was so ignorant. Having lost the +son of the Infante of Fortune, not only by my marriage, but also, as +is known to me, by reason of his love for another, and finding myself +wedded to a man whom, strive as I may, I cannot love, I resolved to set +heart and affection entirely on loving you. This love I built upon that +virtue which I had so often perceived in you, and to which by your own +assistance I think I have attained--I mean the virtue of loving one's +honour and conscience more than life. I came hither thinking to make +this rock of virtue a sure foundation of love. But you have in a +moment shown me, Amadour, that instead of a pure and cleanly rock, this +foundation would have been one of shifting sand or filthy mire; and +although a great part of the house in which I hoped always to dwell +had already been raised, you have suddenly demolished it. Lay aside, +therefore, any hope you had concerning me, and make up your mind not to +seek me by look or word wherever I may be, or to hope that I shall ever +be able or willing to change my resolve. It is with the deepest sorrow +that I tell you this, though had I gone so far as to swear eternal +love with you, I know that my heart could not have lived through this +meeting. Even now I am so confounded to find myself deceived, that I +am sure my life will be either short or sad. With these words I bid you +farewell, and for ever." + +I will not try to describe to you the grief that Amadour felt on hearing +this speech. It is impossible not only to describe it, but even to +conceive it, except indeed to such as have experienced the like. Seeing +that with this cruel conclusion she was about to leave him, he seized +her by the arm, knowing full well that, if he did not remove her evil +opinion of him, he would lose her for ever. Accordingly he dissembled +his looks as well as he could, and said-- + +"During my whole life, madam, I have desired to love a woman of virtue, +and having found so few of them, I was minded to put you to proof, and +so discover whether you were as well worthy of esteem as of love. Now I +know for certain that you are; and therefore I give praise to God, who +has inclined my heart to the love of such great perfection. I entreat +you to pardon my mad and foolhardy attempt, seeing that the issue of it +has turned to your honour and to my great satisfaction." + +Florida was beginning to learn through him the deceitfulness of men; +and, just as she had formerly found it difficult to believe in evil +where it existed, so did she now find it even more difficult to believe +in virtue where there was none. + +"Would to God you spoke the truth," she said to him; "but I am not so +ignorant as not to know by my experience in marriage that the blindness +of strong passion led you to act as you did. Had God given me a loose +rein I am sure that you would not have drawn bridle. Those who go in +quest of virtue are wont to take a different road to yours. But enough; +if I have been too hasty in crediting you with some goodness, it is time +I learned the truth, by which I am now delivered out of your hands." + +So saying, Florida left the room. As long as the night lasted she did +nought but weep; for the change that had taken place caused her intense +grief, and her heart had much ado to hold out against the sorrowing of +love. Although, guided by reason, she had resolved to love no more, yet +the heart, which cannot be subdued, would in no wise permit this. Thus +she was unable to love him less than before, and knowing that love had +been the cause of his offence, she made up her mind to satisfy love by +continuing to love him with her whole heart, and to obey honour by never +giving any sign of her affection either to him or to any one else. + +In the morning Amadour departed in the distress that I have described. +Nevertheless his heart, which was so lofty that there was none like +it in the world, suffered him not to despair, but prompted him to +new devices for seeing Florida again and winning her favour. So as he +proceeded to the King of Spain, who was then at Toledo, he took his way +through the county of Aranda, where he arrived very late one evening, +and found the Countess in great sadness on account of the absence of her +daughter. + +When she saw Amadour she kissed and embraced him as though he had been +her own son, and this no less for the love she herself bore him as for +that which she suspected he had for Florida. She asked minutely for news +of her daughter, and he told her what he could, though not the entire +truth. However, he confessed the love which existed between them, and +which Florida had always concealed; and he begged the Countess to aid +him in hearing often of Florida, and to take her as speedily as possible +to Aranda. + +At daybreak he went on his way, and when he had despatched his business +with the King he left for the war. So sad was he and so changed in +every way that ladies, captains, and acquaintances alike could scarcely +recognise him. + +He now wore nothing but black, and this of a heavier pile than was +needful as mourning for his dead wife; but indeed her death served only +as a cloak for the sorrow that was in his heart. Thus Amadour spent +three or four years without returning to Court. + +The Countess of Aranda hearing that Florida was changed and that it was +pitiful to see her, sent for her, hoping that she would return home. The +contrary, however, happened. When Florida learned that Amadour had +told her mother of their love, and that she, although so discreet and +virtuous, had approved of it, she was in extraordinary perplexity. On +the one hand she perceived that if her mother, who had such great esteem +for Amadour, were told the truth some mischief might befall the latter; +and this even to save her life she would not have brought to pass, for +she felt strong enough to punish his folly herself without calling on +her kinsfolk for assistance. On the other hand she saw that, if she +concealed the evil she knew of him, she would be constrained by her +mother and all her friends to speak to him and show him favour, and this +she feared would only strengthen his evil purpose. However, as he was +a long way off, she kept her own counsel, and wrote to him whenever the +Countess commanded her. Still her letters were such that he could see +they were written more out of obedience than goodwill; and the grief +he felt in reading them was as great as his joy had been in reading the +earlier ones. + +At the end of two or three years, when he had performed so many noble +deeds that all the paper in Spain could not contain the records of them, +(19) he conceived a very skilful device, not indeed to win Florida's +heart, which he looked upon as lost, but to gain the victory over his +enemy, since such she had shown herself to be. He put aside all the +promptings of reason and even the fear of death, and at the risk of +his life resolved to act in the following way. He persuaded the chief +Governor (20) to send him on an embassy to the King concerning some +secret attempt against Leucate; (21) and he procured a command to +take counsel with the Countess of Aranda about the matter before +communicating it to the King. + + 19 Margaret, perhaps, wrote "All the paper of Spain could + not contain them," simply because Spanish paper was then of + very small size. Paper-making had, however, been almost + monopolised by Spain until the end of the thirteenth + century, the cotton used in the manufacture being imported + from the East.--M. + + 20 The Viceroy of Catalonia.--D. + + 21 Leucate, now a village, but said to have been a + flourishing town in the fourteenth century, lies near the + Mediterranean, at a few miles from Salces, and gives its + name to a large salt-water lake. Formerly fortified, it was + repeatedly besieged and burnt by the Spaniards; notably by + the Duke of Alba in 1503, after he had relieved Salces.--Ed. + +Then he came post haste to the county of Aranda, where he knew Florida +to be, and secretly sent a friend to inform the Countess of his coming, +praying her to keep it secret, and to grant him audience at nightfall +without the knowledge of any one. + +The Countess, who was very pleased at his coming, spoke of it to +Florida, and sent her to undress in her husband's room, that she might +be ready when sent for after every one was gone to bed. Florida had not +yet recovered from her first alarm, but she said nothing of it to her +mother, and withdrew to an oratory in order to commend herself to Our +Lord. While she was praying that her heart might be preserved from +all evil affection, she remembered that Amadour had often praised her +beauty, and that in spite of long illness it had not been impaired. +Being, therefore, more willing to injure her beauty than suffer it to +kindle an evil flame in the heart of an honourable gentleman, she took a +stone which lay in the chapel and struck herself a grievous blow on the +face so that her mouth, nose, and eyes were quite disfigured. Then, +in order that no one might suspect it to be of her own doing, she let +herself fall upon her face on leaving the chapel when summoned by the +Countess, and cried out loudly. The Countess coming thither found her +in this pitiful state, and forthwith caused her face to be dressed and +bandaged. + +Then the Countess led her to her own apartment, and begged her to go +to her room and entertain Amadour until she herself had got rid of her +company. This Florida did, thinking that there were others with him. + +But when she found herself alone with him, and the door closed upon her, +she was as greatly troubled as he was pleased. He thought that, by love +or violence, he would now have what he desired; so he spoke to her, and +finding that she made the same reply as before, and that even to save +her life she would not change her resolve, he was beside himself with +despair. + +"Before God, Florida," he said to her, "your scruples shall not rob me +of the fruits of my labour. Since love, patience, and humble entreaty +are of no avail, I will spare no strength of mine to gain the boon, upon +which all its existence depends." + +Florida saw that his eyes and countenance were altered exceedingly, so +that his complexion, naturally the fairest in the world, was now as red +as fire, and his look, usually so gentle and pleasant, had become as +horrible and furious as though fierce flames were blazing in his heart +and face. In his frenzy he seized her delicate, weak hands in his own +strong, powerful ones; and she, finding herself in such bondage that she +could neither defend herself nor fly, thought that her only chance was +to try whether he had not retained some traces of his former love, for +the sake of which he might forego his cruelty. She therefore said to +him-- + +"If you now look upon me, Amadour, in the light of an enemy, I entreat +you, by that pure love which I once thought was in your heart, to +hearken to me before you put me to torture." + +Seeing that he became attentive, she continued-- + +"Alas! Amadour, what can prompt you to seek after a thing that can +afford you no satisfaction, and thus afflict me with the profoundest +grief? You made trial of my inclinations in the days of my youth and +earliest beauty, and they perhaps served to excuse your passion; but I +am amazed that now, when I am old, and ugly, and sorrow-stricken, you +should seek for what you know you can never find. I am sure you do not +doubt that my mind is as it used to be, and so by force alone can you +obtain what you desire. If you observe the condition of my face, and lay +aside the memory of the beauty that once you saw in it, you will have no +inclination to draw any nearer; and if you still retain within you any +remnants of your past love, it is impossible that pity will not subdue +your frenzy. To this pity, which I have often found in you, I appeal +with prayers for mercy. Suffer me to live in peace, and in that honour +which by your own counsel I have resolved to preserve. But if the love +you once bore me is now turned to hate, and you desire, in vengeance +rather than in love, to make me the unhappiest woman alive, I protest to +you that it shall not be so. You will force me against my will to make +your evil purpose known to her who thinks so highly of you; and you may +be sure that, when she learns it, your life will not be safe." + +But Amadour interrupted her. + +"If I must die," he said, "I shall be the sooner rid of my torment. +The disfigurement of your face, which I believe is of your own seeking, +shall not restrain me from making you mine. Though I could have nothing +but your bones, I would yet hold them close to me." + +When Florida saw that prayers, reasoning, and tears were alike of no +avail, and that while he cruelly pursued his evil purpose she lacked +the strength to resist him, she summoned the aid which she dreaded as +greatly as death, and in a sad and piteous voice called as loudly as she +could upon her mother. The Countess, hearing her daughter's cries, +had grave misgivings of the truth, and hastened into the room with all +possible speed. + +Amadour, who was not so ready to die as he affirmed, desisted promptly +from his enterprise; and when the lady opened the door she found him +close beside it, and Florida some distance from him. "Amadour," said the +Countess, "what is the matter? Tell me the truth." + +Amadour, who was never at a loss for invention, replied with a pale and +daunted face-- + +"Alas! madam, what change is this in the lady Florida? I was never so +astonished before, for, as I have told you, I thought I had a share in +her favour; but I now see clearly that I have lost it all. While she was +being brought up by you, she was, I think, no less discreet or virtuous +than she is at present; however, she had then no qualms of conscience +about speaking with any one. But now, when I sought to look at her, she +would not suffer me to do so. When I saw this behaviour on her part I +thought I must be dreaming, and asked her for her hand to kiss it after +the manner of the country. This she utterly refused me. I acknowledge, +madam, that then I acted wrongfully, and I entreat your pardon for it; +for I took her hand, as it were by force, and kissed it. I asked nothing +more of her, but I believe that she intends my death, for she called out +to you as you know. Why she did this I cannot tell, unless indeed she +feared that I had some other purpose in view. Nevertheless, madam, be +this as it may, I confess that I am in the wrong; for although she ought +to love all who are devoted to you, fortune wills it that I, who am of +all most attached to her, am banished from her good graces. Still, I +shall ever continue the same both to you and to her; and I entreat you +to continue me in your good favour since, by no fault of my own, I have +now lost hers." + +The Countess, who partly believed and partly suspected him, went up to +her daughter and asked--"Why did you call me so loudly?" + +Florida replied that she had felt afraid; and, although the Countess +questioned her minutely on many points, she would give no other reply. +Finding that she had escaped from her enemy she deemed him sufficiently +punished by the failure of his attempt. + +After the Countess had had a long conversation with Amadour, she +suffered him to speak again in her presence with Florida, to see how +he would behave. He said but little, save that he thanked her for not +having confessed the truth to her mother, and begged that since she had +expelled him from her heart, she would at least allow no other to take +his place. + +"If my voice had not been my only means of defending myself," she +replied, "it would never have been heard; and from me you shall have no +worse punishment, if you do not force me to it by troubling me again as +you have done. Do not fear that I can ever love another; since I have +not found the good I wished for in a heart that I considered to be the +most virtuous in the world, I do not expect to find it in any man. This +evil fortune will henceforth free me of all the passion that love can +give." + +With these words she bade him farewell. + +Her mother, who had been watching her face, was unable to form any +opinion; though from that time forth she clearly saw that her daughter +had lost all affection for Amadour. She imagined her so devoid of reason +as to hate everything that she herself loved; and from that hour she +warred with her in a strange way, spending seven years without speaking +to her except in anger, all which she did at Amadour's request. + +Meanwhile, on account of her mother's harsh treatment, Florida's former +dread of being with her husband was changed into a desire of never +leaving him. Seeing, however, that all her efforts were useless, she +resolved to deceive Amadour, and laying aside her coldness for a day +or two, she advised him to pay court to a lady who, she said, had been +speaking of their love. + +This lady lived with the Queen of Spain, and was called Loretta. Amadour +believed the story, and, thinking that he might in this way regain +Florida's good graces, he made love to Loretta, who was the wife of a +captain, one of the viceroys of the King of Spain. She, in her pleasure +at having gained such a lover, showed so much elation that the affair +was rumoured abroad. Even the Countess of Aranda, who was at Court, had +knowledge of it, and thenceforward treated Florida less harshly than +before. + +One day Florida heard that the captain, Loretta's husband, had grown +jealous, and was resolved to kill Amadour in one way or another as best +he might. In spite of her altered treatment of Amadour, Florida did not +desire that evil should befall him, and so she immediately informed +him of what she had heard. He was quite ready to hark back again to his +first love, and thereupon told her that, if she would grant him three +hours of her conversation every day, he would never again speak to +Loretta. But this she would not grant. "Then," said Amadour, "if you +will not give me life, why prevent me from dying, unless indeed you hope +to make me suffer more pain during life than any death could cause? But +though death shun me, I will seek it until I find it; then only shall I +have rest." + +While they were on this footing, news came that the King of Granada (22) +was entering upon a great war against the King of Spain. The latter, +therefore, sent the Prince, his son, (23) to the war, and with him the +Constable of Castille and the Duke of Alba, (24) two old and prudent +lords. The Duke of Cardona and the Count of Aranda were unwilling to +remain behind, and prayed the King to give them some command. This +he did as befitted their rank, and gave them into the safe keeping of +Amadour, who performed such extraordinary deeds during the war, that +they seemed to be acts as much of despair as of bravery. + + 22 The last King of Granada was Mahomed Boabdil, dethroned + in 1493. The title may have been assumed, however, by the + leader of an insurrection.--D. + + 23 As Ferdinand and Isabella had no son, the reference must + be to their daughter's husband, Philip the Fair of Austria, + son of the Emperor Maximilian I. and father of Charles V.-- + B. J. + + 24 Frederick of Toledo, Marquis of Coria and Duke of Alba, + generally called the old Duke of Alba to distinguish him + from his son.--B. J. + +Coming now to the point of my story, I have to relate how his +overboldness was proved by his death. The Moors had made a show of +offering battle, and finding the Christian army very numerous had +feigned a retreat. The Spaniards started in pursuit, but the old +Constable and the Duke of Alba, who suspected the trickery of the Moors, +restrained the Prince of Spain against his will from crossing the river. +The Count of Aranda, however, and the Duke of Cardona crossed, although +it was forbidden; and when the Moors saw that they were pursued by only +a few men they faced about again. The Duke of Cardona was struck down +and killed with a blow of a scimitar, and the Count of Aranda was so +grievously wounded that he was left for dead. Thereupon Amadour came up +filled with rage and fury, and bursting through the throng, caused the +two bodies to be taken up and carried to the camp of the Prince, who +mourned for them as for his own brothers. On examining their wounds the +Count of Aranda was found to be still alive, and was sent in a litter +to his home, where he lay ill for a long time. On the other hand, the +Duke's body was sent back to Cardona. + +Meanwhile Amadour, having made this effort to rescue the two bodies, had +thought so little of his own safety that he found himself surrounded by +a large number of Moors. Not desiring his person to be captured any more +than he had captured that of his mistress, nor to break his faith with +God as he had broken faith with her--for he knew that, if he were taken +to the King of Granada, he must either die a cruel death or renounce +Christianity--he resolved to withhold from his enemies the glory +either of his death or capture. So kissing the cross of his sword and +commending his body and soul to God, he dealt himself such a thrust as +to be past all help. + +Thus died the unhappy Amadour, lamented as deeply as his virtues +deserved. The news spread through the whole of Spain; and the rumour of +it came to Florida, who was at Barcelona, where her husband had formerly +commanded that he should be buried. She gave him an honourable funeral, +(25) and then, without saying anything to her mother or mother-in-law, +she became a nun in the Convent of Jesus, taking for husband and lover +Him who had delivered her from such a violent love as that of Amadour's, +and from such great affliction as she had endured in the company of her +husband. Thus were all her affections directed to the perfect loving of +God; and, after living for a long time as a nun, she yielded up her soul +with gladness, like that of the bride when she goes forth to meet the +bridegroom. + + 25 The Franciscan monastery of the little village cf + Bellpuig, near Lerida, contains the tomb of Ramon de + Cardona, termed one of the marvels of Catalonia on account + of the admirable sculptures adorning it. One of the + beautiful white marble bas-reliefs shows a number of galleys + drawn up in line of battle, whilst some smaller boats are + conveying parties of armed men to a river-bank on which the + Moors are awaiting them in hostile array. On the frieze of + an arch the Spaniards and Moors are shown fighting, many of + the former retreating towards the water. An inscription + records that the tomb was raised to the best of husbands by + Isabella, his unhappy spouse. + + Margaret gives the name of Florida to the wife of the Duke + whom she mentions, but it should be borne in mind that she + has systematically mingled fact with fiction throughout this + story; and that she was alluding to the Duke buried at + Bellpuig seems evident from an examination of the bas- + reliefs mentioned above. Ramon de Cardona was, however, a + more important personage than she pictures him. He became + Charles V.'s viceroy in Naples, and did not die till 1520, + whereas Margaret's story appears to end in or about 1513. + Possibly she saw the tomb when in Spain.--Ed. + +"I am well aware, ladies, that this long tale may have been wearisome +to some among you, but had I told it as it was told to me it would have +been longer still. Take example, I beg you, by the virtue of Florida, +but be somewhat less cruel; and think not so well of any man that, when +you are undeceived, you occasion him a cruel death and yourselves a life +of sorrow." + +Having had a long and fair hearing Parlamente said to Hircan-- + +"Do you not think that this lady was pressed to extremities and that she +held out virtuously?" + +"No," said Hircan; "a woman can make no more feeble resistance than to +cry out. If she had been in a place where none could hear her I do not +know how she would have fared. And if Amadour had had more love and less +fear he would not have desisted from his attempt for so little. So +this story will not cause me to change my firm opinion that no man +ever perfectly loved a lady, or was loved by her, that he did not prove +successful if only he went the right way to work. Nevertheless, I must +praise Amadour for having in part done his duty." + +"What duty?" asked Oisille. "Do you call it a lover's duty to try +and take his mistress by force when he owes her all reverence and +submission?" + +Here Saffredent took up the discourse. + +"Madam," he said, "when our mistresses hold their state in chamber or +hall, seated at their ease as though they were our judges, we lead +them to the dance in fear; we wait upon them with all diligence and +anticipate their commands; and we are so afraid of offending them and so +desirous of doing them service that those who see us pity us, and often +deem us more witless than brutes. They account us dull and void of +understanding, and give praise to the ladies, whose faces are so +imperious and their speech so fair that they make themselves feared, +loved, and honoured by those who only know them outwardly. But when we +are together in private, and love alone can judge our behaviour, we +know full well that they are women and we are men. Then is the name +'mistress' changed to 'sweetheart,' and the 'slave' becomes a 'lover.' +As the proverb says--'By service true and loyalty, do servants rise to +mastery.' They have honour equally with men, who can give it to them and +can take it away; and seeing us suffer in patience, they should reward +us when they can do so without hurt to their honour." + +"You do not speak of that true honour," said Longarine, "which is the +greatest happiness this world can give. If every one calls me a virtuous +woman, and I myself know the contrary, the praise I receive only +increases my shame and puts me in secret to still greater confusion. In +the same way, if people condemn me and I know that I am innocent, their +condemnation will only make me the better pleased with myself." + +"In spite of what you all have said," interposed Geburon, "it seems to +me that Amadour was as noble and virtuous a knight as ever lived, and I +think I can recognise him under his feigned name. Since Parlamente would +not name him, neither will I. But you may rest assured that, if he be +the man whom I have in mind, his heart never knew fear, nor was ever +void of love and bravery." + +"The day has been spent so pleasantly," said Oisille, "that if the +others are like it I think our talk will make the time pass quickly by. +But see where the sun is, and listen to the abbey bell, which has long +been calling us to vespers. I did not mention this to you before, for I +was more inclined to hear the end of the story than to go to prayers." + +At these words they all rose, and when they reached the abbey they found +that the monks had been waiting for them a full hour and more. After +vespers they went to supper, and during the whole evening they conversed +about the stories they had heard, all of them searching every corner of +their memories to try and make the second day as pleasant as the first. +And after playing many games in the meadow they went to bed, and so made +a glad and happy ending of the first day. + + +[Illustration: 083.jpg Tailpiece] + + + + +SECOND DAY. + +_On the Second Day is recounted the first conceit that presents itself +to each_. + + + + +PROLOGUE. + +On the morrow they rose in great eagerness to return to the place where +they had had so much pleasure on the previous day. Each one was ready +with a tale, and was impatient for the telling of it. They listened +to the reading of Madame Oisille, and then heard mass, all commending +themselves to God, and praying Him to grant them speech and grace for +the continuance of their fellowship. Afterwards they went to dinner, +reminding one another the while of many stories of the past. + +After dinner, they rested in their apartments, and at the appointed time +returned to the meadow, where day and season alike seemed favourable to +their plans. They all sat down on the natural seat afforded by the green +sward, and Parlamente said-- + +"Yesterday I told the tenth and last tale; it is therefore for me to +choose who shall begin to-day. Madame Oisille was the first of the +ladies to speak, as being the oldest and wisest, and so I now give my +vote to the youngest--I do not also say the flightiest--for I am sure +that if we all follow her leading we shall not delay vespers so long +as we did yesterday. Wherefore, Nomerfide, you shall lead us, but I beg +that you will not cause us to begin our second day in tears." + +"There was no need to make that request," said Nomerfide, "for one of +our number has made me choose a tale which has taken such a hold on me +that I can tell no other; and should it occasion sadness in you, your +natures must be melancholy ones indeed." + +[Illustration: 089.jpg Page Image] + + + + +_TALE XI._ (A). + + _Madame de Roncex, while at the monastery of the Grey Friars + at Thouars, (1) was constrained to go in great haste to a + certain place, and, not looking to see whether the seats + were clean, sat down in a filthy spot and befouled both her + person and clothes; whereupon crying out for assistance, in + the hope that some woman would come and cleanse her, she was + waited on by men, who beheld her in the worst plight in + which a woman could be found_. (2) + + 1 In the department of the Deux-Sevres.--Ed. + + 2 This story, given in Boaistuau's version of Margaret's + tales, and to be found in most of the MS. copies of the + _Heptameron_ at the 'Paris Bibliotheque Nationale', was not + included in the edition issued by Gruget, who replaced it by + a story called _The jests made by a Grey Friar_, for which + see _post_, p. 95 _et seq_.--Ed. + +In the household of Madame de la Tremoille there was a lady named +Roncex, who one day, when her mistress had gone to visit the monastery +of the Grey Friars, found herself in great need to go to a certain place +whither her maid could not go in her stead. She took with her a girl +named La Mothe to keep her company, but being modest and unwilling to +be seen, left her in the room, and went alone into a darksome privy, +a place used in common by all the friars, who had given such a good +account therein of all their victuals, that seat and floor, and in sooth +the whole place, were thickly covered with the must of Bacchus and Ceres +that had passed through the friars' bellies. + +The unhappy lady, who was so hard pressed that she had scarcely time to +lift her dress, chanced to sit down in the foulest, dirtiest spot in the +whole place, where she found herself stuck fast as though with glue, her +poor hips, garments, and feet being so contaminated that she durst not +take a step or turn on any side, for fear lest she should meet with +something worse. Thereupon she began to call out as loudly as she +could-- + +"La Mothe, my child, I am ruined and undone!" + +The poor girl, who had formerly heard tell of the wickedness of the Grey +Friars, and imagined that some of them were hidden there and were trying +to take her mistress by force, thereupon ran off as hard as she could, +saying to every one she met-- + +"Come and help Madame de Roncex; the Grey Friars are trying to ravish +her in yonder privy." + +They thereupon hastened thither with all speed, and found the unhappy +lady crying out for assistance, longing for some woman to come and +cleanse her, and with her back parts all uncovered, for she feared to +touch them with her garments lest these also should be defiled. + +The gentlemen, coming in at her cries, beheld this fine sight, but could +see nought of the Grey Friars, unless it were their ordure clinging to +her hips; nor did this pass without laughter on their part and great +shame on hers, for instead of having women to cleanse her, she was +waited on by men, who saw her naked, and in the sorriest plight in which +a woman could be found. For this reason, on perceiving them, she +soiled what was still clean, by dropping her garments in order to cover +herself, forgetting the filth that she was in for the shame she felt at +sight of the men. And when she had come out of that foul place it was +necessary to strip her naked and change all her garments before she +could leave the monastery. She was minded to be angry with La Mothe for +the aid that she had brought her, but finding that the poor girl had +thought her in a yet more evil plight, she put aside her wrath and +laughed like the rest. (3) + + 3 It is impossible to identify the lady mentioned in this + story, her name being spelt in so many ways in the various + MSS. of the _Heptameron_. It is given as Roncex in the copy + here followed, as Roubex in a copy that belonged to Louis + XVIII., and as Roncci in the De Thou MS., whilst Boaistuau + printed it as Roucey. The Madame de la Tremoille, alluded to + at the outset, is believed by Lacroix and Dillaye to have + been Anne de Laval (daughter of Guy XV., Count of Laval, and + of Charlotte of Aragon, Princess of Tarento), who married + Francis de la Tremoille, Viscount of Thouars, in 1521, and + was by her mother a cousin of Queen Margaret. Possibly, + however, the reference is to Gabrielle de Bourbon, wife of + Louis II. de la Tremoille, a lady of exemplary piety, who + erected the beautiful Renaissance chapel of the chateau of + Thouars.--L. & Ed. + +"I think, ladies," said Nomerfide, "that this story has proved neither +long nor melancholy, and that I have given you what you expected." + +At this the company laughed heartily, and Oisille said--"The story is +indeed nasty and unclean, yet, knowing the persons who fared in this +manner, we cannot consider it unwelcome. Gladly would I have seen the +faces of La Mothe and of the lady to whom she brought such timely aid. +But now," she added to Nomerfide, "since you have finished so soon, give +your vote to some one whose thoughts are of a graver turn." + +"Since you desire me to atone for my fault," answered Nomerfide, "I give +my vote to Dagoucin, whose discretion is such that he would die rather +than say anything foolish." + +Dagoucin then thanked her for the esteem in which she held his good +sense, and thus began--"The story I am minded to relate is intended to +show you how love blinds the greatest and most honourable hearts, and +how hard it is to overcome wickedness by any kindness whatsoever." + +[Illustration: 093.jpg Tailpiece] + +[Illustration: 095a.jpg The Grey Friar telling his Tales] + +[The Grey Friar telling his Tales] + +[Illustration: 095.jpg Page Image] + + + + +_TALE XI._ (B). + + _Of the jests made by a Grey Friar in his sermons_. (1) + + 1 See _ante_, p. 89, note 2, _and post_. Appendix B. + +Near the town of Blere in Touraine there is a village called St. +Martin-le-Beau, whither a Grey Friar belonging to the monastery at +Tours was summoned to preach during the seasons of Advent and Lent. +This friar, who was more garrulous than learned, and now and then found +himself at a loss for matter to eke out his hour, would thereupon begin +telling tales which more or less agreeably satisfied the good villagers. + +One Holy Thursday he preached about the Paschal Lamb, and while speaking +of how it was eaten at night, seeing that there were present at the +preaching some handsome young ladies of Amboise, who were newly +arrived to keep Easter at the village, and to stay there for a few days +afterwards, he wished to surpass himself, and thereupon asked all the +women-folk whether they knew what it was to eat raw flesh at night. "I +will tell you what it is, ladies," he said, whereat the young men of +Amboise, who had just arrived with their wives, sisters, and nieces, and +who had no knowledge of the pilgrim's humour, began to be scandalised; +though on listening further their indignation gave place to laughter, +even when he said that to eat the lamb it was needful to have one's +loins girt, one's feet in one's shoes, and one's hand on one's staff. + +The friar, seeing them laugh at this, and guessing the reason, +immediately corrected himself. "Well," said he, "to have shoes on one's +feet and a staff in one's hand; 'tis all one." + +That this sally was received with laughter you will readily believe. +Even the ladies could not refrain from merriment, and for them he +added other diverting sayings. Then finding the time was nearly up, and +wishing the ladies to be well pleased with him when they departed, he +said to them--"Now, fair ladies, when you are chatting presently with +your gossips, you will be asking one another: 'Who, pray, is this Master +Friar, that speaks out so boldly? He must be a brisk fellow.' I will +tell you, ladies, yes, I will tell you, and be not astonished if I speak +out boldly, for I am of Anjou, at your service." + +With these words he ended his sermon, leaving his hearers more disposed +to laugh at his foolish speeches than to weep in memory of our Lord's +Passion which was then being commemorated. + +The other sermons that he preached during the festival had much the +same value. You are aware that these friars never fail to go begging +for their Easter eggs, and receive not only eggs, but many other things, +such as linen, yarn, chitterlings, hams, chines, and similar trifles. So +when Easter Tuesday came, and the friar was making those exhortations to +charity of which such folks as he are no niggards, he said-- + +"I am bound to thank you, ladies, for the liberality you have shown to +our poor monastery, and yet I cannot forbear telling you that you have +hitherto not duly considered the nature of our wants. You have for the +most part given us chitterlings, but of these we ourselves have no lack. +God be praised, our monastery is indeed full of them. What then can we +do with so many? I will tell you. My advice, ladies, is that you should +mix your hams with our chitterlings; in this way you would bestow fine +alms." + +Then, continuing his sermon, he brought into it certain scandalous +matter, and, whilst discoursing upon it somewhat bluntly and quoting +sundry examples, he said in apparent amazement-- + +"Truly, ladies and gentlemen of Saint-Martin, I am greatly astonished +that you should be scandalised so unreasonably at what is less than +nothing, and should tell tales of me wherever you go, saying: 'It is a +big business; who could have thought that the father would have got +his landlady's daughter with child?' A monk get a girl with child!" he +continued; "forsooth, what a wonder! But hark you, fair ladies, would +you not rather have had cause for wonderment, had the girl acted thus by +the monk?" + +"Such, ladies, was the wholesome food on which this worshipful shepherd +fed the Lord's flock. And so brazen was he, that after committing the +sin, he spake openly of it in the pulpit, where nought should be said +that tends to aught but the edification of one's neighbour, and above +all to the glory of God." + +"Truly," said Saffredent, "he was a master monk--I should have liked +him nearly as well as Brother Anjibaut, who gets credit for all the +jests that are spoken in merry company." + +"For my part, I can see nothing laughable in such mockery," said +Oisille, "especially in such a place." + +"You forget, madam," said Nomerfide, "that at that time, though it +was not so very long ago, the good villagers, and indeed most of the +dwellers in the large towns, who think themselves cleverer than other +people, had greater regard for such preachers as he than for those who +purely and simply preached the holy Gospel to them." + +"However that may be," said Hircan, "he was not wrong in asking for hams +in exchange for chitterlings, for in hams there is far more eating. And +even if some devout creature had understood him amphibologically, as I +believe he wished to be understood, neither he nor his brethren would +have fared badly any more than the wench that had her bag full." + +"But how impudent of him," said Oisille, "to pervert the meaning of +the text to suit his fancy, thinking that he had to do with beasts like +himself, and shamelessly trying to entice the poor little women so that +he might teach them how to eat raw flesh at night." + +"True," said Simontault; "but you forget that he saw before him those +young tripe-sellers of Amboise in whose tub he would fain have washed +his ------ shall I name it? No, but you understand me--and have treated +them to a taste of it, not roasted, but stirring and frisking, so as to +please them the more." + +"Softly, softly, Simontault," said Parlamente; "you forget yourself. +Have you laid aside your accustomed modesty to don it only in time of +necessity?" + +"No, madam, no," said he; "'twas the unworthy monk that led me astray. +Wherefore, that we may return to the matter in hand, I beg Nomerfide, +who caused my offence, to give her vote to some one who will make the +company forget our common fault." + +"Since you include me in your transgression," said Nomerfide, "I will +choose one who will atone for our failings, that is Dagoucin. He is so +discreet that to save his life he would not say a foolish thing." + +[Illustration: 100.jpg Tailpiece] + +[Illustration: 101a.jpg The Gentleman killing the Duke] + +[The Gentleman killing the Duke] + +[Illustration: 101.jpg Page Image] + + + + +_TALE XII_. + + _The Duke of Florence, having continually failed to make + known to a certain lady the love he bore her, confided in + her brother, and begged his assistance that he might attain + his ends. This, after many remonstrances, the brother agreed + to give, but it was a lip-promise only, for at the moment + when the Duke was expecting to vanquish her whom he had + deemed invincible, the gentleman slew him in his bed, in + this fashion freeing his country from a tyrant, and saving + both his own life and the honour of his house_. (1) + + 1 The basis of this story is historical. The event here + described--one of the most famous in the annals of + Florence--furnished Alfred de Musset with the subject of his + play _Lorenzaccio_, and served as the foundation of _The + Traitor_, considered to be Shirley's highest achievement as + a dramatic poet. As Queen Margaret's narrative contains + various errors of fact, Sismondi's account of the affair, as + borrowed by him from the best Italian historians, is given + in the Appendix, C--Eu. + +Ten years ago there reigned in the city of Florence a Duke of the house +of Medici who had married the Emperor's natural daughter, Margaret. +(2) She was still so young that the marriage could not be lawfully +consummated, and, waiting till she should be of a riper age, the Duke +treated her with great gentleness, and to spare her, made love to +various ladies of the city, whom he was wont to visit at night, whilst +his wife was sleeping. + + 2 The Duke here referred to was Alexander de' Medici, first + Duke of Florence, in which city he was born in 1510. His + mother, a slave named Anna, was the wife of a Florentine + coachman, but Lorenzo II. de' Medici, one of this woman's + lovers, acknowledged him as his offspring, though, according + to some accounts, his real father was one of the popes, + Clement VII. or Julius II. After the Emperor Charles V. had + made himself master of Florence in 1530, he confided the + governorship of the city to Alexander, upon whom he bestowed + the title of Duke. Two years later Alexander threw off the + imperial control, and soon afterwards embarked on a career + of debauchery and crime. In 1536, Charles V., being desirous + of obtaining the support of Florence against France, treated + with Alexander, and gave him the hand of his illegitimate + daughter, Margaret. The latter--whose mother was Margaret + van Gheenst, a Flemish damsel of noble birth--was at that + time barely fourteen, having been born at Brussels in 1522. + The Queen of Navarre's statements concerning the + youthfulness of the Duchess are thus corroborated by fact. + After the death of Alexander de' Medici, his widow was + married to Octavius Farnese, Duke of Parma, who was then + only twelve years old, but by whom she eventually became the + mother of the celebrated Alexander Farnese. Margaret of + Austria occupies a prominent place in the history of the + Netherlands, which she governed during a lengthy period for + her brother Philip II. She died in retirement at Ortonna in + Italy in 1586.--L. and Ed. + +Among these there was one very beautiful, discreet, and honourable lady, +sister to a gentleman whom the Duke loved even as himself, and to whom +he gave such authority in his household that his orders were feared and +obeyed equally with the Duke's own. And moreover the Duke had no secrets +that he did not share with this gentleman, so that the latter might have +been called his second-self. (3) + + 3 The gentleman here mentioned was the Duke's cousin, + Lorenzo di Pier-Francesco de' Medici, commonly called + Lorenzino on account of his short stature. He was born at + Florence in 1514, and, being the eldest member of the junior + branch of the Medici family, it had been decided by the + Emperor Charles V. that he should succeed to the Dukedom of + Florence, if Alexander died without issue. Lorenzino + cultivated letters, and is said to have possessed + considerable wit, but, on the other hand, instead of being a + high-minded man, as Queen Margaret pictures him, he was a + thorough profligate, and willingly lent a hand in + Alexander's scandalous amours. The heroine of this story is + erroneously described as Lorenzino's sister; in point of + fact she was his aunt, Catherine Ginori. See Appendix, C.-- + Ed. + +Finding the gentleman's sister to be a lady of such exemplary virtue +that he was unable to declare his passion to her, though he sought +all possible opportunities for doing so, the Duke at last came to his +favourite and said to him-- + +"If there were anything in this world, my friend, that I might be +unwilling to do for you, I should hesitate to tell you what is in my +mind, and still more to beg your assistance. But such is the affection +I bear you that had I wife, mother, or daughter who could avail to +save your life, I would sacrifice them rather than allow you to die in +torment. I believe that your love for me is the counterpart of mine for +you, and that if I, who am your master, bear you so much affection, +you, on your part, can have no less for me. I will therefore tell you a +secret, the keeping of which has brought me to the condition you see. I +have no hope of any improvement except it be through death or else the +service which you are in a position to render me." + +On hearing these words from the Duke, and seeing his face unfeignedly +bathed in tears, the gentleman felt such great pity for him that he +said-- + +"Sir, I am your creature: all the wealth and honour that I am possessed +of in this world come from you. You may speak to me as to your own +soul, in the certainty that all that it be in my power to do is at your +command." + +Thereupon the Duke began to tell him of the love he bore his sister, +a love so deep and strong that he feared he could not live much longer +unless, by the gentleman's help, he succeeded in satisfying his desire. +He was well aware that neither prayers nor presents would be of any +avail with the lady, wherefore he begged the gentleman--if he cared for +his master's life as much as he, his master, cared for his--to devise +some means of procuring him the good fortune which, without such +assistance, he could never hope to obtain. + +The brother, who loved his sister and the honour of his house far +more than the Duke's pleasure, endeavoured to remonstrate with him, +entreating that he might be employed for any other purpose save the +cruel task of soliciting the dishonour of his own kin, and declaring +that the rendering of such a service was contrary alike to his +inclinations and his honour. + +Inflamed with excessive wrath, the Duke raised his hand to his mouth and +bit his nails. + +"Well," said he in a fury, "since I find that you have no friendship for +me, I know what I have to do." + +The gentleman, who was acquainted with his master's cruelty, felt +afraid, and answered-- + +"My lord, since such is your pleasure, I will speak to her, and tell you +her reply." + +"If you show concern for my life, I shall show it for yours," replied +the Duke, and thereupon he went away. + +The gentleman well understood the meaning of these words, and spent a +day or two without seeing the Duke, considering what he should do. On +the one hand he was confronted by the duty he owed his master, and the +wealth and honours he had received from him; on the other by the honour +of his house, and the fair fame and chastity of his sister. He well +knew that she would never submit to such infamy unless through his own +treachery she were overcome by violence, so unnatural a deed that if it +were committed he and his kindred would be disgraced for ever. In this +dilemma he decided that he would sooner die than so ill use his sister, +who was one of the noblest women in all Italy, and ought rather to +deliver his country of this tyrant who, abusing his power, sought to +cast such a slur upon his family; for he felt sure that if the Duke +were suffered to live, neither his own life nor the lives of his kindred +would be safe. So without speaking of the matter to his sister or to any +living creature, he determined to save his life and vindicate his honour +at one and the same time. Accordingly, when a couple of days had gone +by, he went to the Duke and told him that with infinite difficulty he +had so wrought upon his sister that she had at last consented to do his +will, provided that the matter were kept secret, and none but he, her +brother, knew of it. + +The Duke, who was longing for these tidings, readily believed them, and +embracing the ambassador, promised him anything that he might ask. He +begged him to put his scheme quickly into execution, and they agreed +together upon the time when this should be done. The Duke was in great +joy, as may well be imagined; and on the arrival of that wished-for +night when he hoped to vanquish her whom he had deemed invincible, he +retired early, accompanied only by the lady's brother, and failed not to +attire himself in a perfumed shirt and head-gear. Then, when every one +was gone to rest, he went with the gentleman to the lady's abode, where +he was conducted into a well-appointed apartment. + +Having undressed him and put him to bed, the gentleman said-- + +"My lord, I will now go and fetch you one who will assuredly not enter +this room without blushing; but I hope that before morning she will have +lost all fear of you." + +Leaving the Duke, he then went to his own room, where he found one of +his servants, to whom he said-- + +"Are you brave enough to follow me to a place where I desire to avenge +myself upon my greatest living enemy?" + +The other, who was ignorant of his master's purpose, replied-- + +"Yes, sir, though it were the Duke himself." + +Thereupon the gentleman led him away in such haste as to leave him no +time to take any weapon except a poignard that he was wearing. + +The Duke, on hearing the gentleman coming back again, thought that he +was bringing the loved one with him, and, opening his eyes, drew back +the curtains in order to see and welcome the joy for which he had so +long been waiting. But instead of seeing her who, so he hoped, was to +preserve his life, he beheld something intended to take his life away, +that is, a naked sword which the gentleman had drawn, and with which he +smote the Duke. The latter was wearing nothing but his shirt, and lacked +weapons, though not courage, for sitting up in the bed he seized the +gentleman round the body, saying-- + +"Is this the way you keep your promise?" + +Then, armed as he was only with his teeth and nails, he bit the +gentleman's thumb, and wrestled with him so stoutly that they both fell +down beside the bed. + +The gentleman, not feeling altogether confident, called to his servant, +who, finding the Duke and his master so closely twined together that +he could not tell the one from the other, dragged them both by the feet +into the middle of the room, and then tried to cut the Duke's throat +with his poignard. The Duke defended himself until he was so exhausted +through loss of blood that he could do no more, whereupon the gentleman +and his servant lifted him upon the bed and finished him with their +daggers. They then drew the curtain and went away, leaving the dead body +shut up in the room. + +Having vanquished his great enemy, by whose death he hoped to free +his country, the gentleman reflected that his work would be incomplete +unless he treated five or six of the Duke's kindred in the same fashion. +The servant, however, who was neither a dare-devil nor a fool, said to +him-- + +"I think, sir, that you have done enough for the present, and that it +would be better to think of saving your own life than of taking the +lives of others, for should we be as long in making away with each of +them as we were in the case of the Duke, daylight would overtake our +enterprise before we could complete it, even should we find our enemies +unarmed." + +Cowed by his guilty conscience, the gentleman followed the advice of his +servant, and taking him alone with him, repaired to a Bishop (4) whose +office it was to have the city gates opened, and to give orders to the +guard-posts. + + 4 Probably Cardinal Cybo, Alexander's chief minister, who + according to Sismondi, was the first to discover the + murder.--Ed. + +"I have," said the gentleman to the Bishop, "this evening received +tidings that one of my brothers is at the point of death. I have just +asked leave of the Duke to go to him, and he has granted it me; and +I beg you to send orders that the guards may furnish me with two good +horses, and that the gatekeeper may let me through." + +The Bishop, who regarded the gentleman's request in the same light as an +order from his master the Duke, forthwith gave him a note, by means of +which the gate was opened for him, and horses supplied to him as he had +requested; but instead of going to see his brother he betook himself +straight to Venice, where he had himself cured of the bites that he had +received from the Duke, and then passed over into Turkey. (5) + + 5 On leaving Florence, Lorenzo repaired first to Bologna + and then to Venice, where he informed Philip Strozzi of how + he had rid his country of the tyrant. After embracing him in + a transport, and calling him the Tuscan Brutus, Strozzi + asked the murderer's sisters, Laudamina and Magdalen de' + Medici, in marriage for his own sons, Peter and Robert. From + Venice Lorenzino issued a _memoire justificatif_, full of + quibbles and paradoxes, in which he tried to explain his + lack of energy after the murder by the indifference shown by + the Florentines. He took no part in the various enterprises + directed against Cosmo de' Medici, who had succeeded + Alexander at Florence. Indeed his chief concern was for his + own safety, which was threatened alike by Cosmo and the + Emperor Charles V., and to escape their emissaries he + proceeded to Turkey, and thence to France, ultimately + returning to Venice, where, despite all his precautions + against danger, he was assassinated in 1547, together with + his uncle, Soderini, by some spadassins in the pay of Cosmo + I.--Ed. + +In the morning, finding that their master delayed his return so long, +all the Duke's servants suspected, rightly enough, that he had gone to +see some lady; but at last, as he still failed to return, they began +seeking him on all sides. The poor Duchess, who was beginning to love +him dearly, was sorely distressed on learning that he could not be +found; and as the gentleman to whom he bore so much affection was +likewise nowhere to be seen, some went to his house in quest of him. +They found blood on the threshold of the gentleman's room, which they +entered, but he was not there, nor could any servant or other person +give any tidings of him. Following the blood-stains, however, the Duke's +servants came at last to the room in which their master lay. The door +of it was locked, but this they soon broke open, and on seeing the floor +covered with blood they drew back the bed-curtain, and found the unhappy +Duke's body lying in the bed, sleeping the sleep from which one cannot +awaken. + +You may imagine the mourning of these poor servants as they carried +the body to the palace, whither came the Bishop, who told them how the +gentleman had departed with all speed during the night under pretence of +going to see his brother. And by this it was clearly shown that it was +he who had committed the murder. And it was further proved that his poor +sister had known nothing whatever of the matter. For her part, albeit +she was astounded by what had happened, she could but love her brother +the more, seeing that he had not shrunk from risking his life in order +to save her from so cruel a tyrant. And so honourable and virtuous was +the life that she continued leading, that although she was reduced to +poverty by the confiscation of the family property, both she and her +sister found as honourable and wealthy husbands as there were in all +Italy, and lived ever afterwards in high and good repute. + +"This, ladies, is a story that should make you dread that little god who +delights in tormenting Prince and peasant, strong and weak, and so far +blinds them that they lose all thought of God and conscience, and even +of their own lives. And greatly should Princes and those in authority +fear to offend such as are less than they; for there is no man but can +wreak injury when it pleases God to take vengeance on a sinner, nor any +man so great that he can do hurt to one who is in God's care." + +This tale was commended by all in the company, (6) but it gave rise +to different opinions among them, for whilst some maintained that the +gentleman had done his duty in saving his own life and his sister's +honour, as well as in ridding his country of such a tyrant, others +denied this, and said it was rank ingratitude to slay one who had +bestowed on him such wealth and station. The ladies declared that the +gentleman was a good brother and a worthy citizen; the men, on the +contrary, that he was a treacherous and wicked servant. + + 6 In MS. No. 1520 (Bib. Nat.) this sentence begins: "The + tale was attentively listened to by all," &c.--L. + +And pleasant was it to hear the reasons which were brought forward on +both sides; but the ladies, as is their wont, spoke as much from passion +as from judgment, saying that the Duke was so well worthy of death that +he who struck him down was a happy man indeed. + +Then Dagoucin, seeing what a controversy he had set on foot, said to +them-- + +"In God's name, ladies, do not quarrel about a thing that is past and +gone. Take care rather that your own charms do not occasion more cruel +murders than the one which I have related." + +"'La belle Dame sans Mercy,'" (7) replied Parlamente, "has taught us to +say that but few die of so pleasing an ailment." + + 7 _La belle Dame sans Merci_ (The Pitiless Beauty) is one + of Alain Chartier's best known poems. It is written in the + form of a dialogue between a lady and her lover: the former + having obstinately refused to take compassion on the + sufferings of her admirer, the latter is said to have died + of despair. The lines alluded to by Margaret are spoken by + the lady, and are to the following effect--"So graceful a + malady seldom puts men to death; yet the sooner to obtain + comfort, it is fitting one should say that it did. Some + complain and worry greatly who have not really felt the most + bitter affliction; and if indeed Love doth cause such great + torment, surely it were better there should be but one + sufferer rather than two." The poem, as here quoted, will be + found in Andre Duchesne's edition of the _OEuvres de Maistre + Alain Chartier_, Paris, 1617, p. 502.--L. + +"Would to God, madam," answered Dagoucin, "that all the ladies in this +company knew how false that saying is. I think they would then scarcely +wish to be called pitiless, or to imitate that unbelieving beauty who +suffered a worthy lover to die for lack of a gracious answer to his +suit." + +"So," said Parlamente, "you would have us risk honour and conscience to +save the life of a man who says he loves us." + +"That is not my meaning," replied Dagoucin, "for he who loves with a +perfect love would be even more afraid of hurting his lady's honour than +would she herself. I therefore think that an honourable and graceful +response, such as is called for by perfect and seemly love, must tend to +the increase of honour and the satisfaction of conscience, for no true +lover could seek the contrary." + +"That is always the end of your speeches," said Ennasuite; "they begin +with honour and end with the contrary. However, if all the gentlemen +present will tell the truth of the matter, I am ready to believe them on +their oaths." + +Hircan swore that for his own part he had never loved any woman but +his own wife, and even with her had no desire to be guilty of any gross +offence against God. + +Simontault declared the same, and added that he had often wished all +women were froward excepting his own wife. + +"Truly," said Geburon to him, "you deserve that your wife should be what +you would have the others. For my own part, I can swear to you that I +once loved a woman so dearly that I would rather have died than have led +her to do anything that might have diminished my esteem for her. My love +for her was so founded upon her virtues, that for no advantage that I +might have had of her would I have seen them blemished." + +At this Saffredent burst out laughing. + +"Geburon," he said, "I thought that your wife's affection and your own +good sense would have guarded you from the danger of falling in love +elsewhere, but I see that I was mistaken, for you still use the very +phrases with which we are wont to beguile the most subtle of women, and +to obtain a hearing from the most discreet. For who would close her ears +against us when we begin our discourse by talking of honour and virtue? +(8) But if we were to show them our hearts just as they are, there is +many a man now welcome among the ladies whom they would reckon of but +little account. But we hide the devil in our natures under the most +angelic form we can devise, and in this disguise receive many favours +before we are found out. And perhaps we lead the ladies' hearts so far +forward, that when they come upon vice while believing themselves on the +high road to virtue, they have neither opportunity nor ability to draw +back again." + + 8 This sentence is borrowed from MS. No. 1520 (Bib. Nat.)-- + L. + +"Truly," said Geburon, "I thought you a different man than your words +would show you to be, and fancied that virtue was more pleasing to you +than pleasure." + +"What!" said Saffredent. "Is there any virtue greater than that of +loving in the way that God commands? It seems to me that it is much +better to love one woman as a woman than to adore a number of women as +though they were so many idols. For my part, I am firmly of opinion that +use is better than abuse." + +The ladies, however, all sided with Geburon, and would not allow +Saffredent to continue, whereupon he said-- + +"I am well content to say no more on this subject of love, for I have +been so badly treated with regard to it that I will never return to it +again." + +"It is your own maliciousness," said Longarine, "that has occasioned +your bad treatment; for what virtuous woman would have you for a lover +after what you have told us?" + +"Those who did not consider me unwelcome," answered Saffredent, "would +not care to exchange their virtue for yours. But let us say no more +about it, that my anger may offend neither myself nor others. Let us see +to whom Dagoucin will give his vote." + +"I give it to Parlamente," said Dagoucin, "for I believe that she must +know better than any one else the nature of honourable and perfect +love." + +"Since I have been chosen to tell the third tale," said Parlamente, "I +will tell you something that happened to a lady who has always been one +of my best friends, and whose thoughts have never been hidden from me." + +[Illustration: 117.jpg Tailpiece] + +[Illustration: 119a.jpg The Sea-captain talking to the Lady] + +[The Sea-captain talking to the Lady] + +[Illustration: 119.jpg Page Image] + + + + +_TALE XIII_. + +_A sea-captain, being greatly in love with a lady, sent her a diamond; +but she despatched it to his wife, whom he had long neglected, and in +this wise so atoned for his conduct that his wife was reconciled to him +in perfect affection_. (1) + + 1 M. Le Roux de Lincy believes that this story has some + historical basis, and, Louise of Savoy being termed the + Regent, he assigns the earlier incidents to the year 1524. + But Louise was Regent, for the first time, in 1515, and we + incline to the belief that Queen Margaret alludes to this + earlier period. Note the reference to a Court journey to + Normandy (post, p. 136), which was probably the journey that + Francis I. and his mother are known to have made to Rouen + and Alencon in the autumn of 1517. See vol. i. p. xxviii.-- + Ed. 2 119 + +In the household of the Lady-Regent, mother of King Francis, there was +a very pious lady married to a gentleman of like mind with herself, and, +albeit her husband was old and she was young and pretty, she served and +loved him as though he had been the handsomest and youngest man in the +world. So that she might give him no cause for sorrow, she set herself +to live as though she were of the same age as himself, eschewing all +such company, dress, dances, and amusements as young women are wont to +love, and finding all her pleasure and recreation in the service of God; +on which account her husband so loved and trusted her, that she ruled +him and his household as she would. + +One day it happened that the gentleman told his wife that from his youth +up he had desired to make a journey to Jerusalem, and asked her what she +thought of it. She, whose only wish was to please him, replied-- + +"Since God has withheld children from us, sweetheart, and has granted +us sufficient wealth, I would willingly use some portion of it in making +this sacred journey with you, for indeed, whether you go thither or +elsewhere, I am resolved never to leave you." + +At this the good man was so pleased, that it seemed to him as though he +were already on Mount Calvary. + +While they were deliberating on this matter, there came to the Court +a gentleman, the Captain of a galley, who had often served in the wars +against the Turks, (2) and was now soliciting the King of France to +undertake an expedition against one of their cities, which might yield +great advantage to Christendom. The old gentleman inquired of him +concerning this expedition, and after hearing what he intended to do, +asked him whether, on the completion of this business, he would make +another journey to Jerusalem, whither he himself and his wife had a +great desire to go. The Captain was well pleased on hearing of this +laudable desire, and he promised to conduct them thither, and to keep +the matter secret. + + 2 M. Paul Lacroix, who believes that the heroine of this + tale is Margaret herself (she is described as telling it + under the name of Parlamente), is also of opinion that the + gentleman referred to is the Baron de Malleville, a knight + of Malta, who was killed at Beyrout during an expedition + against the Turks, and whose death was recounted in verse by + Clement Marot (_OEuvres_, 1731, vol. ii. p. 452-455). + Margaret's gentleman, however, is represented as being + married, whereas M. de Malleville, as a knight of Malta, was + necessarily a bachelor. Marot, moreover, calls Malleville a + Parisian, whereas the gentleman in the tale belonged to + Normandy (see _post_, p. 136).--B. J. and L. + +The old gentleman was all impatience to find his wife and tell her of +what he had done. She was as anxious to make the journey as her husband, +and on that account often spoke about it to the Captain, who, paying +more attention to her person than her words, fell so deeply in love +with her, that when speaking to her of the voyages he had made, he often +confused the port of Marseilles with the Archipelago, and said "horse" +when he meant to say "ship," like one distracted and bereft of sense. +Her character, however, was such that he durst not give any token of +the truth, and concealment kindled such fires in his heart that he often +fell sick, when the lady showed as much solicitude for him as for the +cross and guide of her road, (3) sending to inquire after him so often +that the anxiety she showed cured him without the aid of any other +medicine. + + 3 This may simply be an allusion to wayside crosses which + serve to guide travellers on their road. M. de Montaiglon + points out, however, that in the alphabets used for teaching + children in the olden time, the letter A was always preceded + by a cross, and that the child, in reciting, invariably + began: "The cross of God, A, B, C, D," &c. In a like way, a + cross figured at the beginning of the guide-books of the + time, as a symbol inviting the traveller to pray, and + reminding him upon whom he should rely amid the perils of + his journey. The best known French guide-book of the + sixteenth century is Charles Estienne's _Guide des Chemins + de France_.--M. and Ed. + +Several persons who knew that this Captain had been more renowned for +valour and jollity than for piety, were amazed that he should have +become so intimate with this lady, and seeing that he had changed in +every respect, and frequented churches, sermons, and confessions, they +suspected that this was only in order to win the lady's favour, and +could not refrain from hinting as much to him. + +The Captain feared that if the lady should hear any such talk he would +be banished from her presence, and accordingly he told her husband and +herself that he was on the point of being despatched on his journey by +the King, and had much to tell them, but that for the sake of greater +secrecy he did not desire to speak to them in the presence of others, +for which reason he begged them to send for him when they had both +retired for the night. The gentleman deemed this to be good advice, and +did not fail to go to bed early every evening, and to make his wife also +undress. When all their servants had left them, they used to send for +the Captain, and talk with him about the journey to Jerusalem, in the +midst of which the old gentleman would oft-times fall asleep with his +mind full of pious thoughts. When the Captain saw the old gentleman +asleep in bed, and found himself on a chair near her whom he deemed the +fairest and noblest woman in the world, his heart was so rent between +his desires and his dread of speaking that he often lost the power +of speech. In order that she might not perceive this, he would force +himself to talk of the holy places of Jerusalem where there were such +signs of the great love that Jesus Christ bore us; and he would speak of +this love, using it as a cloak for his own, and looking at the lady +with sighs and tears which she never understood. By reason of his devout +countenance she indeed believed him to be a very holy man, and begged of +him to tell her what his life had been, and how he had come to love God +in that way. + +He told her that he was a poor gentleman, who, to arrive at riches and +honour, had disregarded his conscience in marrying a woman who was too +close akin to him, and this on account of the wealth she possessed, +albeit she was ugly and old, and he loved her not; and when he had drawn +all her money from her, he had gone to seek his fortune at sea, and had +so prospered by his toil, that he had now come to an honourable estate. +But since he had made his hearer's acquaintance, she, by reason of her +pious converse and good example, had changed all his manner of life, and +should he return from his present enterprise he was wholly resolved to +take her husband and herself to Jerusalem, that he might thereby partly +atone for his grievous sins which he had now put from him; save that he +had not yet made reparation to his wife, with whom, however, he hoped +that he might soon be reconciled. + +The lady was well pleased with this discourse, and especially rejoiced +at having drawn such a man to the love and fear of God. And thus, until +the Captain departed from the Court, their long conversations together +were continued every evening without his ever venturing to declare +himself. However, he made the lady a present of a crucifix of Our Lady +of Pity, (4) beseeching her to think of him whenever she looked upon it. + + 4 "Our Lady of Pity" is the designation usually applied to + the Virgin when she is shown seated with the corpse of + Christ on her knees. Michael Angelo's famous group at St. + Peter's is commonly known by this name. In the present + instance, however, Queen Margaret undoubtedly refers to a + crucifix showing the Virgin at the foot of the Cross, + contemplating her son's sufferings. Such crucifixes were + formerly not uncommon.--M. + +The hour of his departure arrived, and when he had taken leave of the +husband, who was falling asleep, and came to bid his lady farewell, he +beheld tears standing in her eyes by reason of the honourable affection +which she entertained for him. The sight of these rendered his passion +for her so unendurable that, not daring to say anything concerning it, +he almost fainted, and broke out into an exceeding sweat, so that he +seemed to weep not only with his eyes, but with his entire body. +And thus he departed without speaking, leaving the lady in great +astonishment, for she had never before seen such tokens of regret. +Nevertheless she did not change in her good opinion of him, and followed +him with her prayers. + +After a month had gone by, however, as the lady was returning to her +house, she met a gentleman who handed her a letter from the Captain, and +begged her to read it in private. + +He told her how he had seen the Captain embark, fully resolved to +accomplish whatever might be pleasing to the King and of advantage to +Christianity. For his own part, the gentleman added, he was straightway +going back to Marseilles to set the Captain's affairs in order. + +The lady withdrew to a window by herself, and opening the letter, +found it to consist of two sheets of paper, covered on either side with +writing which formed the following epistle:-- + + "Concealment long and silence have, alas! + Brought me all comfortless to such a pass, + That now, perforce, I must, to ease my grief, + Either speak out, or seek in death relief. + Wherefore the tale I long have left untold + I now, in lonely friendlessness grown bold, + Send unto thee, for I must strive to say + My love, or else prepare myself to slay. + And though my eyes no longer may behold + The sweet, who in her hand my life doth hold, + Whose glance sufficed to make my heart rejoice, + The while my ear did listen to her voice,-- + These words at least shall meet her beauteous eyes, + And tell her all the plaintive, clamorous cries + Pent in my heart, to which I must give breath, + Since longer silence could but bring me death. + And yet, at first, I was in truth full fain + To blot the words I'd written out again, + Fearing, forsooth, I might offend thine ear + With foolish phrases which, when thou wast near, + I dared not utter; and 'Indeed,' said I, + 'Far better pine in silence, aye, and die, + Than save myself by bringing her annoy + For whose sweet sake grim death itself were joy.' + And yet, thought I, my death some pain might give + To her for whom I would be strong, and live: + For have I not, fair lady, promised plain, + My journey ended, to return again + And guide thee and thy spouse to where he now + Doth yearn to call on God from Sion's brow? + And none would lead thee thither should I die. + If I were dead, methinks I see thee sigh + In sore distress, for then thou couldst not start + Upon that journey, dear unto thy heart. + So I will live, and, in a little space, + Return to lead thee to the sacred place. + Aye, I will live, though death a boon would be + Only to be refused for sake of thee. + But if I live, I needs must straight remove + The burden from my heart, and speak my love, + That love more loyal, tender, deep, and true, + Than, ever yet, the fondest lover knew. + And now, bold words about to wing your flight, + What will ye say when ye have reached her sight? + Declare her all the love that fills my heart? + Too weak ye are to tell its thousandth part! + Can ye at least not say that her clear eyes + Have torn my hapless heart forth in such wise, + That like a hollow tree I pine and wither + Unless hers give me back some life and vigour? + Ye feeble words! ye cannot even tell + How easily her eyes a heart compel; + Nor can ye praise her speech in language fit, + So weak and dull ye are, so void of wit. + Yet there are some things I would have you name-- + How mute and foolish I oft time became + When all her grace and virtue I beheld; + How from my 'raptured eyes tears slowly welled + The tears of hopeless love; how my tongue strayed + From fond and wooing speech, so sore afraid, + That all my discourse was of time and tide, + And of the stars which up in Heav'n abide. + O words, alas! ye lack the skill to tell + The dire confusion that upon me fell, + Whilst love thus wracked me; nor can ye disclose + My love's immensity, its pains and woes. + Yet, though, for all, your powers be too weak, + Perchance, some little, ye are fit to speak-- + Say to her thus: "Twas fear lest thou shouldst chide + That drove me, e'en so long, my love to hide, + And yet, forsooth, it might have openly + Been told to God in Heaven, as unto thee, + Based as it is upon thy virtue--thought + That to my torments frequent balm hath brought, + For who, indeed, could ever deem it sin + To seek the owner of all worth to win? + Deserving rather of our blame were he + Who having seen thee undisturbed could be.' + None such was I, for, straightway stricken sore, + My heart bowed low to Love, the conqueror. + And ah! no false and fleeting love is mine, + Such as for painted beauty feigns to pine; + Nor doth my passion, although deep and strong, + Seek its own wicked pleasure in thy wrong. + Nay; on this journey I would rather die + Than know that thou hadst fallen, and that I + Had wrought thy shame and foully brought to harm + The virtue which thy heart wraps round thy form. + 'Tis thy perfection that I love in thee, + Nought that might lessen it could ever be + Desire of mine--indeed, the nobler thou, + The greater were the love I to thee vow. + I do not seek an ardent flame to quench + In lustful dalliance with some merry wench, + Pure is my heart, 'neath reason's calm control + Set on a lady of such lofty soul, + That neither God above nor angel bright, + But seeing her, would echo my delight. + And if of thee I may not be beloved, + What matter, shouldst thou deem that I have proved + The truest lover that did ever live? + And this I know thou wilt, one day, believe, + For time, in rolling by, shall show to thee + No change in my heart's faith and loyalty. + And though for this thou mayst make no return, + Yet pleased am I with love for thee to burn, + And seek no recompense, pursue no end, + Save, that to thee, I meekly recommend + My soul and body, which I here consign + In sacrifice to Love's consuming shrine. + If then in safety I sail back the main + To thee, still artless, I'll return again; + And if I die, then there will die with me + A lover such as none again shall see. + So Ocean now doth carry far away + The truest lover seen for many a day; + His body 'tis that journeys o'er the wave, + But not his heart, for that is now thy slave, + And from thy side can never wrested be, + Nor of its own accord return to me. + Ah! could I with me o'er the treach'rous brine + Take aught of that pure, guileless heart of thine, + No doubt should I then feel of victory, + Whereof the glory would belong to thee. + But now, whatever fortune may befall, + I've cast the die; and having told thee all, + Abide thereby, and vow my constancy-- + Emblem of which, herein, a diamond see, + By whose great firmness and whose pure glow + The strength and pureness of my love thou'lt know. + Let it, I pray, thy fair white finger press, + And thou wilt deal me more than happiness. + And, diamond, speak and say: 'To thee I come + From thy fond lover, who afar doth roam, + And strives by dint of glorious deeds to rise + To the high level of the good and wise, + Hoping some day that haven to attain, + Where thy sweet favours shall reward his pain." + +The lady read the letter through, and was the more astonished at the +Captain's passion as she had never before suspected it. She looked at +the cutting of the diamond, which was a large and beautiful one, set in +a ring of black enamel, and she was in great doubt as to what she ought +to do with it. After pondering upon the matter throughout the night, she +was glad to find that since there was no messenger, she had no occasion +to send any answer to the Captain, who, she reflected, was being +sufficiently tried by those matters of the King, his master, which he +had in hand, without being angered by the unfavourable reply which she +was resolved to make to him, though she delayed it until his return. +However, she found herself greatly perplexed with regard to the diamond, +for she had never been wont to adorn herself at the expense of any but +her husband. For this reason, being a woman of excellent understanding, +she determined to draw from the ring some profit to the Captain's +conscience. She therefore despatched one of her servants to the +Captain's wife with the following letter, which was written as though it +came from a nun of Tarascon:-- + +"MADAM,--Your husband passed this way but a short time before he +embarked, and after he had confessed himself and received his Creator +like a good Christian, he spoke to me of something which he had upon his +conscience, namely, his sorrow at not having loved you as he should +have done. And on departing, he prayed and besought me to send you this +letter, with the diamond which goes with it, and which he begs of you +to keep for his sake, assuring you that if God bring him back again in +health and strength, you shall be better treated than ever woman was +before. And this stone of steadfastness shall be the pledge thereof. + +"I beg you to remember him in your prayers; in mine he will have a place +as long as I live." + +This letter, being finished and signed with the name of a nun, was sent +by the lady to the Captain's wife. And as may be readily believed, when +the excellent old woman saw the letter and the ring, she wept for joy +and sorrow at being loved and esteemed by her good husband when she +could no longer see him. She kissed the ring a thousand times and more, +watering it with her tears, and blessing God for having restored her +husband's affection to her at the end of her days, when she had long +looked upon it as lost. Nor did she fail to thank the nun who had given +her so much happiness, but sent her the fairest reply that she could +devise. This the messenger brought back with all speed to his mistress, +who could not read it, nor listen to what her servant told her, without +much laughter. And so pleased was she at having got rid of the diamond +in so profitable a fashion as to bring about a reconciliation between +the husband and wife, that she was as happy as though she had gained a +kingdom. + +A short time afterwards tidings came of the defeat and death of the poor +Captain, and of how he had been abandoned by those who ought to have +succoured him, and how his enterprise had been revealed by the Rhodians +who should have kept it secret, so that he and all who landed with him, +to the number of eighty, had been slain, among them being a gentleman +named John, and a Turk to whom the lady of my story had stood godmother, +both of them having been given by her to the Captain that he might take +them with him on his journey. The first named of these had died beside +the Captain, whilst the Turk, wounded by arrows in fifteen places, had +saved himself by swimming to the French ships. + +It was through him alone that the truth of the whole affair became +known. A certain gentleman whom the poor Captain had taken to be his +friend and comrade, and whose interests he had advanced with the King +and the highest nobles of France, had, it appeared, stood out to sea +with his ships as soon as the Captain landed; and the Captain, finding +that his expedition had been betrayed, and that four thousand Turks were +at hand, had thereupon endeavoured to retreat, as was his duty. But the +gentleman in whom he put such great trust perceived that his friend's +death would leave the sole command and profit of that great armament to +himself, and accordingly pointed out to the officers that it would not +be right to risk the King's vessels or the lives of the many brave men +on board them in order to save less than a hundred persons, an opinion +which was shared by all those of the officers that possessed but little +courage. + +So the Captain, finding that the more he called to the ships the farther +they drew away from his assistance, faced round at last upon the Turks; +and, albeit he was up to his knees in sand, he did such deeds of arms +and valour that it seemed as though he alone would defeat all his +enemies, an issue which his traitorous comrade feared far more than he +desired it. + +But at last, in spite of all that he could do, the Captain received +so many wounds from the arrows of those who durst not approach within +bowshot, that he began to lose all his blood, whereupon the Turks, +perceiving the weakness of these true Christians, charged upon them +furiously with their scimitars; but the Christians, so long as God gave +them strength and life, defended themselves to the bitter end. + +Then the Captain called to the gentleman named John, whom his lady love +had given him, and to the Turk as well, and thrusting the point of his +sword into the ground, fell upon his knees beside it, and embraced and +kissed the cross, (5) saying-- + +"Lord, receive into Thy hands the soul of one who has not spared his +life to exalt Thy name." + + 5 As is well known, before swords were made with shell and + stool hilts, the two guards combined with the handle and + blade formed a cross. Bayard, when dying, raised his sword + to gaze upon this cross, and numerous instances, similar to + that mentioned above by Queen Margaret, may be found in the + old _Chansons de Geste_.--M. + +The gentleman called John, seeing that his master's life was ebbing away +as he uttered these words, thought to aid him, and took him into his +arms, together with the sword which he was holding. But a Turk who was +behind them cut through both his thighs, whereupon he cried out, "Come, +Captain, let us away to Paradise to see Him for whose sake we die," and +in this wise he shared the poor Captain's death even as he had shared +his life. + +The Turk, seeing that he could be of no service to either of them, and +being himself wounded by arrows in fifteen places, made off towards +the ships, and requested to be taken on board. But although of all the +eighty he was the only one who had escaped, the Captain's traitorous +comrade refused his prayer. Nevertheless, being an exceeding good +swimmer, he threw himself into the sea, and exerted himself so well that +he was at last received on board a small vessel, where in a short time +he was cured of his wounds. And it was by means of this poor foreigner +that the truth became fully known, to the honour of the Captain and the +shame of his comrade, whom the King and all the honourable people who +heard the tidings deemed guilty of such wickedness toward God and man +that there was no death howsoever cruel which he did not deserve. But +when he returned he told so many lies, and gave so many gifts, that not +only did he escape punishment, but even received the office of the man +whose unworthy servant he had been. + +When the pitiful tidings reached the Court, the Lady-Regent, who held +the Captain in high esteem, mourned for him exceedingly, as did the King +and all the honourable people who had known him. And when the lady whom +he had loved the best heard of his strange, sad, and Christian death, +she changed the chiding she had resolved to give him into tears and +lamentations, in which her husband kept her company, all hopes of their +journey to Jerusalem being now frustrated. + +I must not forget to say that on the very day when the two gentlemen +were killed, a damsel in the lady's service, who loved the gentleman +called John better than herself, came and told her mistress that she had +seen her lover ir a dream; he had appeared to her clad in white, and had +bidden her farewell, telling her that he was going to Paradise with his +Captain. And when the damsel heard that her dream had come true, she +made such lamentation that her mistress had enough to do to comfort her. +(6) + + 6 The Queen of Navarre was a firm believer in the truth and + premonitory character of dreams, and according to her + biographers she, herself, had several singular ones, two of + which are referred to in the Memoir prefixed to the present + work (vol. i. pp. lxxxiii. and Ixxxvii.). In some of her + letters, moreover, she relates that Francis I., when under + the walls of Pavia, on three successive nights beheld his + little daughter Charlotte (then dying at Lyons) appear to + him in a dream, and on each occasion repeat the words, + "Farewell, my King, I am going to Paradise."--Ed. + +A short time afterwards the Court journeyed into Normandy, to which +province the Captain had belonged. His wife was not remiss in coming to +pay homage to the Lady-Regent, and in order that she might be presented +to her, she had recourse to the same lady whom her husband had so dearly +loved. + +And while they were waiting in a church for the appointed hour, she +began bewailing and praising her husband, saying among other things to +the lady-- + +"Alas, madam! my misfortune is the greatest that ever befell a woman, +for just when he was loving me more than he had ever done, God took him +from me." + +So saying, and with many tears, she showed the ring which she wore on +her finger as a token of her husband's perfect love, whereat the other +lady, finding that her deception had resulted in such a happy issue, +was, despite her sorrow for the Captain's death, so moved to laughter, +that she would not present the widow to the Regent, but committed her to +the charge of another lady, and withdrew into a side chapel, where she +satisfied her inclination to laugh. + +"I think, ladies, that those who receive such gifts ought to seek to use +them to as good a purpose as did this worthy lady. They would find that +benefactions bring joy to those who bestow them. And we must not charge +this lady with deceit, but esteem her good sense which turned to good +that which in itself was worthless." + +"Do you mean to say," said Nomerfide, "that a fine diamond, costing two +hundred crowns, is worthless? I can assure you that if it had fallen +into my hands, neither his wife nor his relations would have seen aught +of it. Nothing is more wholly one's own than a gift. The gentleman was +dead, no one knew anything about the matter, and she might well have +spared the poor old woman so much sorrow." + +"By my word," said Hircan, "you are right. There are women who, to +make themselves appear of better heart than others, do things that are +clearly contrary to their notions, for we all know that women are +the most avaricious of beings, yet their vanity often surpasses their +avarice, and constrains their hearts to actions that they would rather +not perform. My belief is that the lady who gave the diamond away in +this fashion was unworthy to wear it." + +"Softly, softly," said Oisille; "I believe I know who she is, and I +therefore beg that you will not condemn her unheard." + +"Madam," said Hircan, "I do not condemn her at all; but if the gentleman +was as virtuous as you say, it were an honour to have such a lover, and +to wear his ring; but perhaps some one less worthy of being loved than +he held her so fast by the finger that the ring could not be put on." + +"Truly," said Ennasuite, "she might well have kept it, seeing that no +one knew anything about it." + +"What!" said Geburon; "are all things lawful to those who love, provided +no one knows anything about them?" + +"By my word," said Saffredent, "the only misdeed that I have ever seen +punished is foolishness. There is never a murderer, robber, or adulterer +condemned by the courts or blamed by his fellows, if only he be as +cunning as he is wicked. Oft-time, however, a bad man's wickedness so +blinds him that he becomes a fool; and thus, as I have just said, it is +the foolish only that are punished, not the vicious." + +"You may say what you please," said Oisille, "only God can judge the +lady's heart; but for my part, I think that her action was a very +honourable and virtuous one. (7) However, to put an end to the debate, I +pray you, Parlamente, to give some one your vote." + + 7 In our opinion this sentence disposes of Miss Mary + Robinson's supposition (_The Fortunate Lovers_, London, + 1887, p. 159) that Oisille (i.e., Louise of Savoy) is the + real heroine of this tale. Queen Margaret would hardly have + represented her commending her own action. If any one of the + narrators of the _Heptameron_ be the heroine of the story, + the presumptions are in favour of Longarine (La Dame de + Lonray), Margaret's bosom friend, whose silence during the + after-converse is significant.--Ed. + +"I give it willingly," she said, "to Simontault, for after two such +mournful tales we must have one that will not make us weep." + +"I thank you," said Simontault. "In giving me your vote you have all but +told me that I am a jester. It is a name that is extremely distasteful +to me, and in revenge I will show you that there are women who with +certain persons, or for a certain time, make a great pretence of being +chaste, but the end shows them in their real colours, as you will see by +this true story." + +[Illustration: 140.jpg Tailpiece] + +[Illustration: 141a.jpg Bonnivet and the Lady of Milan] + +[Bonnivet and the Lady of Milan] + +[Illustration: 141.jpg Page Image] + + + + +_TALE XIV_. + + _The Lord of Bonnivet, desiring to revenge himself upon a + Milanese lady for her cruelty, made the acquaintance of an + Italian gentleman whom she loved, but to whom she had never + granted anything save fair words and assurances of + affection. To accomplish his purpose he gave this gentleman + such good advice that the lady granted him what he had so + long sought, and this the gentleman made known to Bonnivet, + who, having cut both hair and beard, and dressed himself in + clothes like those of the other, went at midnight and put + his vengeance into execution. Then the lady, having learnt + from him the plan that he had devised to win her, promised + to desist from loving those of her own nation, and to hold + fast to him_. + +At the time when the Grand-Master of Chaumont was Governor of the Duchy +of Milan, (1) there lived there a gentleman called the Lord of Bonnivet, +who by reason of his merits was afterwards made Admiral of France. Being +greatly liked by the Grand-Master and every one else on account of the +qualities he possessed, he was a welcome guest at the banquets where +the ladies of Milan assembled, and was regarded by them with more favour +than ever fell to a Frenchman's lot, either before or since; and this +as much on account of his handsome countenance, grace of manner, and +pleasant converse, as by reason of the renown which he had gained among +all as being one of the most skilful and valorous soldiers of his time. +(2) + + 1 M. de Lincy is of opinion that the incidents recorded in + this story took place between 1501 and 1503; but according + to M. Lacroix, the Grand-Master of Chaumont did not become + Governor of the Milanese till 1506. This personage, to whom + Queen Margaret frequently alludes in her tales, was Charles + d'Amboise, nephew of the famous Cardinal d'Amboise, minister + to Louis XII. In turn admiral and marshal, Governor of + Paris, and Grand-Master, in France, of the Order of St. John + of Jerusalem, he figured prominently in the Italian wars of + the time, and notably at the battle of Aignadel. In 1510 he + commanded the troops which fought on behalf of the Duke of + Ferrara against the Emperor and Pope Julius II., and the + latter having excommunicated him for bearing arms against + the Holy See, his mind is said to have become unhinged. He + died at Correggio in February 1511, when only thirty-eight + years of age, some biographers asserting that he was + poisoned, whilst others contend that he fell from a bridge + during a military expedition. Whilst on his death-bed, he + sent messengers to the Pope, begging that the decree of + excommunication against him might be annulled, but before + the Papal absolution arrived he had expired. The name of + Chaumont, by which he is generally known, is that of an + estate he possessed, between Blois and Amboise, on the + Loire. The reputation he enjoyed of being one of the + handsomest men of his time was well deserved, if one may + judge by a painting at the Louvre which is said to be his + portrait. This picture, long ascribed to Leonardo da Vinci, + and supposed to represent Charles VIII. of France, has been + identified as the work of Andreas Solario, who executed + numerous paintings for Cardinal d'Amboise at the famous + chateau of Gaillon.--L. M. and Eu. + + 2 Some particulars concerning William Gouffier, Lord of + Bonnivet, have been given in vol. i. (Tale IV. n. 3). It + may here be mentioned that the domain whence he derived the + name by which he is generally known was in the neighbourhood + of Poitiers, around the village of Vendeuvre, where he built + himself a vast chateau, destroyed at the close of the + eighteenth century. Some fragments of the sculptured work + adorning it, remarkable for their elegance of design and + delicacy of workmanship, are in the Poitiers Museum. It is + not unlikely that the incidents related in Tale IV. occurred + at this chateau; or else at that of Oiron, another domain of + the Gouffiers, between Loudun and Bressuire. In the chapel + of Oiron were buried Bonnivet, his mother, his brother + Artus, and his nephew Claud. Their tombs, large marble + mausoleums of Italian workmanship, surmounted by recumbent + statues, were opened and mutilated by the Huguenots in 1568, + when the bones they contained were scattered to the winds. + Bon-nivet's statue is probably the most damaged of the four. + The chateau of Oiron, with its marble staircases, quaint + frescoes, sculptured medallions, &c, testifies to the great + wealth possessed by the Gouffier family, and justifies the + cynical motto assumed by Bonnivet's nephew: "Others have + beaten the bushes, but we have the birds."--Ed. + +One day during the carnival, when he was among the maskers, he danced +with one of the most beautiful and bravely attired ladies to be found +in the whole city; and whenever a pause occurred in the music of the +hautboys, he did not fail to address her with love speeches, in which he +excelled all others. But she (3) having no favourable reply to give him, +suddenly checked his discourse by assuring him that she neither loved +nor ever would love any man but her husband, and that he must by no +means expect that she would listen to him. + + 3 This lady may perhaps be the "Sennora Clerice" (Clarissa) + of whom Brantome writes as follows in his _Capitaines + Francois_:--"It was Bonnivet alone who advised King Francis + to cross the mountains and follow M. de Bourbon, and in this + he had less his master's advantage and service at heart than + his desire to return and see a great and most beautiful lady + of Milan, whom he had made his mistress some years + previously.... It is said that this was the 'Sennora + Clerice,' then accounted one of the most beautiful ladies of + Italy.... A great lady of the time, from whom I heard this + story, told me that he, Bonnivet, had commended this lady + Clerice to the King so highly as to make him desirous of + seeing and winning her; and this was the principal cause of + this expedition of the King's."--Lalanne's _OEuvres de + Brantome_, vol. ii. p. 167-8.--L. + +The gentleman, however, would not take this answer for a refusal, and +continued to press his suit with great energy until mid-Lent. But he +found her still firm in her declaration that she would love neither +himself nor another, which he could not believe, however, seeing how +ill-favoured was her husband, and how great her own beauty. Convinced +that she was practising dissimulation, he resolved, on his own side, to +have recourse to deception, and accordingly he ceased to urge his suit, +and inquired so closely concerning her manner of life that he discovered +she was in love with a most discreet and honourable Italian gentleman. + +Little by little the Lord of Bonnivet insinuated himself into the +friendship of this gentleman, and did so with so much discretion and +skill, that the other remained ignorant of his motive, and became so +much attached to him that, after the lady of his heart, there was no one +in the world whom he loved more. In order that he might pluck his secret +from his breast, the Lord of Bonnivet pretended to tell him his own, +declaring that he loved a certain lady to whom he had in truth never +given a thought, and begging that he would keep the matter secret, and +that they might have but one heart and one mind together. Wishing to +show in return a like affection, the poor Italian gentleman thereupon +proceeded to disclose at length the love that he bore the lady on whom +Bonnivet wished to be revenged; and after this they would meet somewhere +once every day in order to recount the favours that had befallen them +during the past four and twenty hours; with this difference, however, +that one lied, and the other spoke the truth. And the Italian confessed +that he had loved this lady for three years, but had never obtained +anything of her save fair words and the assurance of her love. + +Bonnivet then gave him all the advice that he could to enable him to +attain his end, and to such good purpose that in a few days the lady +consented to grant all that was sought of her. It only remained to +devise a plan for their meeting, and through the counsels of Bonnivet +this was soon accomplished. And so one day before supper the Italian +said to him-- + +"I am more beholden to you, sir, than to any other man living, for, +thanks to your good advice, I expect to obtain to-night that which I +have coveted so many years." + +"I pray you, my friend," thereupon said Bonnivet, "tell me the manner of +your undertaking, so that if there be any risk in it, or craft required, +I may serve you in all friendship." + +The Italian gentleman then began to tell him that the lady had devised +a means of having the principal door of the house left open that night, +availing herself as a pretext of the illness of one of her brothers for +whose requirements it was necessary to send into the town at all hours. +He might enter the courtyard, but he was to be careful not to go up by +the principal staircase. Instead of this he was to take a small flight +on his right hand, and enter the first gallery he came to, into which +the rooms of the lady's father-in-law and brothers-in-law opened; and +he was to choose the third door from the head of the stairs, and if on +trying it gently he found that it was locked, he was to go away again, +for in that case he might be sure that her husband had returned, though +not expected back for two days. If, however, he found that the door was +open, he was to enter softly, and boldly bolt it behind him, for in that +case there would be none but herself in the room. And above all, he was +to get himself felt shoes, in order that he might make no noise, and he +was to be careful not to come earlier than two hours after midnight, +for her brothers-in-law, who were fond of play, never went to bed until +after one of the clock. + +"Go, my friend," replied Bonnivet, "and may God be with you and preserve +you from mischief. If my company can be of any service to you, I am +wholly at your disposal." + +The Italian gentleman thanked him warmly, but said that in an affair of +this nature he could not be too much alone; and thereupon he went away +to set about his preparations. + +Bonnivet, on his part, did not go to sleep, for he saw that the time had +come for revenging himself upon his cruel love. Going home betimes, he +had his beard trimmed to the same length and breadth as the Italian's, +and also had his hair cut, so that, on touching him, no difference +between himself and his rival might be perceived. Nor did he forget the +felt shoes, nor garments such as the Italian was wont to wear. Being +greatly liked by the lady's father-in-law, he was not afraid to go to +the house at an early hour, for he made up his mind that if he were +perceived, he would go straight to the chamber of the old gentleman, +with whom he had some business on hand. + +About midnight he entered the lady's house, and although there were a +good many persons going to and fro, he passed them unnoticed and thus +reached the gallery. Trying the first two doors, he found them shut; the +third, however, was not, and he softly pushed it open. And having thus +entered the lady's room, he immediately bolted the door behind him. He +found that the whole chamber was hung with white linen, the floor and +ceiling also being covered with the same; and there was a bed draped +with cloth so fine and soft and so handsomely embroidered in white, that +nothing better were possible. And in the bed lay the lady alone, wearing +her cap and night-gown, and covered with pearls and gems. This, before +he was himself perceived by her, he was able to see by peeping round the +curtain; for there was a large wax candle burning, which made the room +as bright as day. And fearful lest he should be recognised by her, he +first of all put out the light. Then he undressed himself and got into +bed beside her. + +The lady, taking him to be the Italian who had so long loved her, gave +him the best possible reception; but he, not forgetting that he was +there in another's stead, was careful not to say a single word. His +only thought was to execute his vengeance at the cost of her honour and +chastity without being beholden to her for any boon. And although this +was contrary to her intention, the lady was so well pleased with this +vengeance that she deemed him rewarded for all she thought he had +endured. At last it struck one of the clock, and it was time to say +good-bye. Then, in the lowest tones he could employ, he asked her if she +were as well pleased with him as he was with her. She, believing him +to be her lover, said that she was not merely pleased but amazed at the +greatness of his love, which had kept him an hour without answering her. + +Then he began to laugh aloud, and said to her-- + +"Now, madam, will you refuse me another time, as you have hitherto been +wont to do?" + +The lady, recognising him by his speech and laughter, was in such +despair with grief and shame, that she called him villain, traitor, and +deceiver a thousand times over, and tried to throw herself out of bed +to search for a knife in order to kill herself, since she was so +unfortunate as to have lost her honour through a man whom she did not +love, and who to be revenged on her might publish the matter to the +whole world. + +But he held her fast in his arms, and in fair soft words declared that +he would _love_ her more than her lover, and would so carefully conceal +all that affected her honour that she should never be brought to +reproach. This the poor foolish thing believed, and on hearing from him +the plan that he had devised and the pains that he had taken to win her, +she swore to him that she would love him better than the other, who had +not been able to keep her secret. She now knew, said she, how false +was the repute in which the French were held; they were more sensible, +persevering, and discreet than the Italians; wherefore she would +henceforward lay aside the erroneous opinions of her nation and hold +fast to him. But she earnestly entreated him not to show himself for +some time at any entertainment or in any place where she might be unless +he were masked; for she was sure she should feel so much ashamed that +her countenance would betray her to every one. + +This he promised to do, and he then begged that she would give her +lover a good welcome when he came at two o'clock, getting rid of him +afterwards by degrees. This she was very loth to do, and but for the +love she bore to Bonnivet would on no account have consented. However, +when bidding her farewell, he gave her so much cause for satisfaction +that she would fain have had him stay with her some time longer. + +Having risen and donned his garments again, he departed, leaving the +door of the room slightly open, as he had found it. And as it was now +nearly two o'clock, and he was afraid of meeting the Italian gentleman, +he withdrew to the top of the staircase, whence he not long afterwards +saw the other pass by and enter the lady's room. + +For his own part, he then betook himself home to rest, in such wise that +at nine of the clock on the following morning he was still in bed. While +he was rising, there arrived the Italian gentleman, who did not fail to +recount his fortune, which had not been so great as he had hoped; for +on entering the lady's chamber, said he, he had found her out of bed, +wearing her dressing-gown, and in a high fever, with her pulse beating +quick and her countenance aflame, and a perspiration beginning to break +out upon her. She had therefore begged him to go away forthwith, for +fearing a mishap, she had not ventured to summon her women, and was +in consequence so ill that she had more need to think of death than +of love, and to be told of God than of Cupid. She was distressed, she +added, that he should have run such risk for her sake, since she was +wholly unable to grant what he sought in a world she was so soon to +leave. He had felt so astonished and unhappy on hearing this that +all his fire and joy had been changed to ice and sadness, and he had +immediately gone away. However, he had sent at daybreak to inquire about +her, and had heard that she was indeed very ill. While recounting his +griefs he wept so piteously that it seemed as though his soul must melt +away in his tears. + +Bonnivet, who was as much inclined to laugh as the other was to weep, +comforted him as well as he could, telling him that affections of long +duration always had a difficult beginning, and that Love was causing him +this delay only that he might afterwards have the greater joy. And so +the two gentlemen parted. The lady remained in bed for some days, and on +regaining her health dismissed her first suitor, alleging as her +reason the fear of death that had beset her and the prickings of her +conscience. But she held fast to my lord Bonnivet, whose love, as is +usual, lasted no longer than the field flowers bloom. + +"I think, ladies, that the gentleman's craftiness was a match for the +hypocrisy of the lady, who, after playing the prude so long, showed +herself such a wanton in the end." + +"You may say what you please about women," said Ennasuite, "but the +gentleman played an evil trick. Is it allowable that if a lady loves one +man, another may obtain her by craft?" + +"You may be sure," said Geburon, "that when such mares are for sale +they are of necessity carried off by the last and highest bidder. Do not +imagine that wooers take such great pains for the ladies' sakes. It is +for their own sakes and their own pleasure." + +"By my word," said Longarine, "I believe you; for, truth to tell, all +the lovers that I have ever had have always begun their speeches by +talking about me, declaring that they cherished my life, welfare, and +honour; but in the end they only thought of themselves, caring for +nought but their own pleasure and vanity. The best plan, therefore, +is to dismiss them as soon as the first portion of their discourse is +ended; for when they come to the second, there is not so much credit in +refusing them, seeing that vice when recognised must needs be rejected." + +"So as soon as a man opens his mouth," said Ennasuite, "we ought to +refuse him, without knowing what he is going to say?" + +"Nay," replied Parlamente, "my friend does not mean that. We know that +at first a woman should never appear to understand what the man desires, +or even to believe him when he has declared what it is; but when he +comes to strong protestations, I think it were better for ladies to +leave him on the road rather than continue to the end of the journey +with him." + +"That may be," said Nomerfide; "but are we to believe that they love us +for evil? Is it not a sin to judge our neighbours?" + +"You may believe what you please," said Oisille; "but there is so +much cause for fearing it to be true, that as soon as you perceive the +faintest spark, you should flee from this fire, lest it should burn up +your heart before you even know it." + +"Truly," said Hircan, "the laws you lay down are over harsh. If women, +whom gentleness beseems so well, were minded to prove as rigorous as +you would have them be, we men, on our part, would exchange our gentle +entreaties for craft and force." + +"In my opinion," said Simontault, "the best advice is that each should +follow his natural bent. Whether he love or not, let him do so without +dissimulation." + +"Would to God," said Saffredent, "that such a rule would bring as much +honour as it would give pleasure." + +Dagoucin, however, could not refrain from saying-- + +"Those who would rather die than make their desire known could not +comply with your law." + +"Die!" thereupon said Hircan; "the good knight has yet to be born that +would die for the publishing of such a matter. But let us cease talking +of what is impossible, and see to whom Simontault will give his vote." + +"I give it," said Simontault, "to Longarine, for I observed her just +now talking to herself. I imagine that she was recalling some excellent +matter, and she is not wont to conceal the truth, whether it be against +man or woman." + +"Since you deem me so truthful," replied Longarine, "I will tell you a +tale which, though it be not so much to the praise of women as I could +wish it to be, will yet show you that there are some possessed of as +much spirit, wit, and craft as men. If my tale be somewhat long, you +will bear with it in patience." + +[Illustration: 155.jpg Tailpiece] + +[Illustration: 157a.jpg The Lady taking Oath as to her Conduct] + +[The Lady taking Oath as to her Conduct] + +[Illustration: 157.jpg Page Image] + + + + +_TALE XV_. + + _Through the favour of King Francis, a simple gentleman of + the Court married a very rich woman, of whom, however, as + much by reason of her extreme youth as of the bestowal of + his own heart elsewhere, he made but little account; + whereat, after trying every plan to please him, she was so + moved with resentment and overcome by despair, that she + resolved to console herself with another for the indignities + which she endured from her husband._ (1) + + 1 The incidents referred to in this story must have + occurred between 1515 and 1543, during the reign of Francis + I.--L. + +At the Court of King Francis the First there was a gentleman whose name +I know right well, but will not mention. He was poor, having less than +five hundred livres a year, but he was so well liked by the King for +his many qualities that he at last married a lady of such wealth that +a great lord would have been pleased to take her. As she was still very +young, he begged one of the greatest ladies of the Court to receive her +into her household, and this the lady very willingly did. + +Now this gentleman was so courteous, so handsome, and so full of grace +that he was held in great regard by all the ladies of the Court, and +among the rest by one whom the King loved, and who was neither so young +nor so handsome as his own wife. And by reason of the great love that +the gentleman bore this lady, he made such little account of his wife, +that he slept scarcely one night in the year with her, and, what she +found still harder to endure, he never spoke to her or showed her any +sign of love. And although he enjoyed her fortune, he allowed her so +small a share in it, that she was not dressed as was fitting for one +of her station, or as she herself desired. The lady with whom she abode +would often reproach the gentleman for this, saying to him-- + +"Your wife is handsome, rich, and of a good family, yet you make no more +account of her than if she were the opposite. In her extreme youth and +childishness she has hitherto submitted to your neglect; but I fear me +that when she finds herself grown-up and handsome, her mirror and some +one that loves you not will so set before her eyes that beauty by which +you set so little store, that resentment will lead her to do what she +durst not think of had you treated her well." + +The gentleman, however, having bestowed his heart elsewhere, made light +of what the lady said, and notwithstanding her admonitions, continued to +lead the same life as before. + +But when two or three years had gone by, his wife became one of the most +beautiful women ever seen in France, so that she was reputed to have no +equal at the Court. And the more she felt herself worthy of being loved, +the more distressed she was to find that her husband paid no +attention to her; and so great became her affliction that, but for the +consolations of her mistress, she had well-nigh been in despair. After +trying every possible means to please her husband, she reflected that +his inclinations must needs be directed elsewhere, for otherwise he +could not but respond to the deep love that she bore him. Thereupon she +made such skilful inquiries that she discovered the truth, namely, that +he was every night so fully occupied in another quarter that he could +give no thought to his wife or to his conscience. + +Having thus obtained certain knowledge of the manner of life he led, +she fell into such deep melancholy, that she would not dress herself +otherwise than in black or attend any place of entertainment. Her +mistress, who perceived this, did all that in her lay to draw her from +such a mood, but could not. And although her husband was made acquainted +with her state, he showed himself more inclined to make light of it than +to relieve it. + +You are aware, ladies, that just as extreme joy will give occasion to +tears, so extreme grief finds an outlet in some joy. In this wise it +happened that a great lord who was near akin to the lady's mistress, and +who often visited her, hearing one day of the strange fashion in which +she was treated by her husband, pitied her so deeply that he desired to +try to console her; and on speaking to her, found her so handsome, so +sensible, and so virtuous, that he became far more desirous of winning +her favour than of talking to her about her husband, unless it were to +show her what little cause she had to love him. + +The lady, finding that, though forsaken by the man who ought to have +loved her, she was on the other hand loved and sought after by so +handsome a Prince, deemed herself very fortunate in having thus won his +favour. And although she still desired to preserve her honour, she took +great pleasure in talking to him and in reflecting that she was loved +and prized, for these were two things for which, so to speak, she +hungered. + +This friendship continued for some time, until it came to the knowledge +of the King, who had so much regard for the lady's husband that he +was unwilling he should be put to any shame or vexation. He therefore +earnestly begged the Prince to forego his inclinations, threatening him +with his displeasure should he continue to press his suit. + +The Prince, who set the favour of the King above all the ladies in the +world, promised for his sake to lay aside the enterprise, and to go that +very evening and bid the lady farewell. This he did as soon as he knew +that she had retired to her own apartments, over which was the room of +the gentleman, her husband. And the husband being that evening at his +window, saw the Prince going into his wife's room beneath. The Prince +saw him also, but went in for all that, and in bidding farewell to her +whose love was but beginning, pleaded as his sole reason the King's +command. + +After many tears and lamentations and regrets, which lasted until an +hour after midnight, the lady finally said-- + +"I praise God, my lord, that it pleases Him you should lose your love +for me, since it is so slight and weak that you are able to take it up +and lay it down at the command of man. For my own part, I have never +asked mistress or husband or even myself for permission to love you; +Love, aided by your good looks and courtesy, gained such dominion over +me that I could recognise no God or King save him. But since your heart +is not so full of true love that fear may not find room in it, you can +be no perfect lover, and I will love none that is imperfect so perfectly +as I had resolved to love you. Farewell, then, my lord, seeing that you +are too timorous to deserve a love as frank as mine." + +The Prince went away in tears, and looking back he again noticed the +husband, who was still at the window, and had thus seen him go in and +come out again. Accordingly he told him on the morrow why he had gone +to see his wife, and of the command that the King had laid upon him, +whereat the gentleman was well pleased, and gave thanks to the King. + +However, finding that his wife was becoming more beautiful every day, +whilst he himself was growing old and less handsome than before, he +began to change his tactics, and to play the part which he had for a +long time imposed upon his wife, bestowing some attention upon her and +seeking her more frequently than had been his wont. But the more she was +sought by him the more was he shunned by her; for she desired to pay him +back some part of the grief that he had caused her by his indifference. + +Moreover, being unwilling to forego so soon the pleasure that love was +beginning to afford her, she addressed herself to a young gentleman, who +was so very handsome, well-spoken, and graceful that he was loved by +all the ladies of the Court. And by complaining to him of the manner in +which she had been treated, she lured him to take pity upon her, so +that he left nothing untried in his attempts to comfort her. She, on +her part, to console herself for the loss of the Prince who had forsaken +her, set herself to love this gentleman so heartily that she came to +forget her former grief, and to think of nothing but the skilful conduct +of her new amour, in which she succeeded so well that her mistress +perceived nought of it, for she was careful not to speak to her lover +in her mistress's presence. When she wished to talk with him she would +betake herself to the rooms of some ladies who lived at the Court, +amongst whom was one that her husband made a show of being in love with. + +Now one dark evening she stole away after supper, without taking any +companion with her, and repaired to the apartment belonging to these +ladies, where she found the man whom she loved better than herself. She +sat down beside him, and leaning upon a table they conversed together +while pretending to read in the same book. Some one whom her husband had +set to watch then went and reported to him whither his wife was gone. +Being a prudent man, he said nothing, but as quickly as possible +betook himself to the room, where he found his wife reading the book. +Pretending, however, not to see her, he went straight to speak to the +other ladies, who were in another part of the room. But when his poor +wife found herself discovered by him in the company of a gentleman to +whom she had never spoken in his presence, she was in such confusion +that she quite lost her wits; and being unable to pass along the bench, +she leaped upon the table and fled as though her husband were pursuing +her with a drawn sword. And then she went in search of her mistress, who +was just about to withdraw to her own apartments. + +When her mistress was undressed, and she herself had retired, one of +her women brought her word that her husband was inquiring for her. She +answered plainly that she would not go, for he was so harsh and strange +that she dreaded lest he should do her some harm. + +At last, however, for fear of worse, she consented to go. Her husband +said not a word to her until they were in bed together, when being +unable to dissemble so well as he, she began to weep. And when he asked +her the cause of this, she told him that she was afraid lest he should +be angry at having found her reading in company with a gentleman. + +He then replied that he had never forbidden her to speak to a man, and +did not take it ill that she had done so; but he did indeed take it ill +that she had run from him as though she had done something deserving of +censure, and her flight and nothing else had led him to think that she +was in love with the gentleman. He therefore commanded her never to +speak to him again in public or in private, and assured her that the +first time she did so he would slay her without mercy or compassion. She +very readily promised to obey, and made up her mind not to be so foolish +another time. + +But things are desired all the more for being forbidden, and it was not +long before the poor woman had forgotten her husband's threats and her +own promises. That very same evening she sent to the gentleman, begging +him to visit her at night. But the husband, who was so tormented +by jealousy that he could not sleep, and who had heard say that the +gentleman visited his wife at night, wrapped himself in a cloak, and +taking a valet with him, went to his wife's apartment and knocked at the +door. She, not in the least expecting him, got up alone, put on furred +slippers and a dressing-gown which were lying close at hand, and finding +that the three or four women whom she had with her were asleep, went +forth from her room and straight to the door at which she had heard the +knocking. On her asking, "Who is there?" she received in answer the name +of her lover; but to be still more certain, she opened a little wicket, +saying-- + +"If you be the man you say you are, show me your hand, and I shall +recognise it." + +And when she touched her husband's hand she knew who it was, and quickly +shutting the wicket, cried out-- + +"Ha, sir! it is your hand." + +The husband replied in great wrath-- + +"Yes; it is the hand that will keep faith with you. Do not fail, +therefore, to come when I send for you." + +With these words he went away to his own apartment, whilst she, more +dead than alive, went back into her room, and cried out aloud to her +servant-women, "Get up, my friends; you have slept only too well for me, +for thinking to trick you, I have myself been tricked." + +With these words she swooned away in the middle of the room. The +women rose at her cry, and were so astonished at seeing their mistress +stretched upon the floor, as well as at hearing the words, she had +uttered, that they were at their wits' end, and sought in haste for +remedies to restore her. When she was able to speak, she said to them-- + +"You see before you, my friends, the most unhappy creature in the +world." + +And thereupon she went on to tell them the whole adventure, and begged +of them to help her, for she counted her life as good as lost. + +While they were seeking to comfort her, a valet came with orders that +she was to repair to her husband instantly. Thereupon, clinging to two +of her women, she began to weep and wail, begging them not to suffer her +to go, for she was sure she would be killed. But the valet assured her +to the contrary, offering to pledge his life that she should receive no +hurt. Seeing that she lacked all means of resistance, she at last threw +herself into the servant's arms, and said to him-- + +"Since it may not be otherwise, you must e'en carry this hapless body to +its death." + +Half fainting in her distress, she was then at once borne by the +valet to his master's apartment. When she reached it, she fell at her +husband's feet, and said to him-- + +"I beseech you, sir, have pity on me, and I swear to you by the faith I +owe to God that I will tell you the whole truth." + +"'Fore God you shall," he replied, like one beside himself, and +forthwith he drove all the servants from the room. + +Having always found his wife very devout, he felt sure that she would +not dare to forswear herself on the Holy Cross. He therefore sent for a +very beautiful crucifix that belonged to him, and when they were alone +together, he made her swear upon it that she would return true replies +to his questions. Already, however, she had recovered from her first +dread of death, and taking courage, she resolved that if she was to die +she would make no concealment of the truth, but at the same time would +say nothing that might injure the gentleman she loved. Accordingly, +having heard all the questions that her husband had to put to her, she +replied as follows-- + +"I have no desire, sir, either to justify myself or to lessen to you the +love that I have borne to the gentleman you suspect; for if I did, you +could not and you should not believe me. Nevertheless, I desire to tell +you the cause of this affection. Know, then, sir, that never did wife +love husband more than I loved you, and that from the time I wedded you +until I reached my present age, no other passion ever found its way into +my heart. You will remember that while I was still a child, my parents +wished to marry me to one richer and more highly born than yourself, +but they could never gain my consent to this from the moment I had once +spoken to you. In spite of all their objections I held fast to you, +and gave as little heed to your poverty as to their remonstrances. You +cannot but know what treatment I have had at your hands hitherto, and +the fashion in which you have loved and honoured me; and this has caused +me so much grief and discontent that but for the succour of the lady +with whom you placed me, I should have been in despair. But at last, +finding myself fully grown and deemed beautiful by all but you, I began +to feel the wrong you did me so keenly that the love I had for you +changed into hate, and the desire of obeying you into one for revenge. +In this despairing condition I was found by a Prince who, being more +anxious to obey the King than Love, forsook me just as I was beginning +to feel my pangs assuaged by an honourable affection. When the Prince +had left me, I lighted upon this present gentleman; and he had no need +to entreat me, for his good looks, nobleness, grace, and virtue are +well worthy of being sought after and courted by all women of sound +understanding. At my instance, not at his own, he has loved me in all +virtue, so that never has he sought from me aught that honour might +refuse. And although I have but little cause to love you, and so might +be absolved from being loyal and true to you, my love of God and of my +honour has hitherto sufficed to keep me from doing aught that would call +for confession or shame. I will not deny that I went into a closet as +often as I could to speak with him, under pretence of going thither to +say my prayers, for I have never trusted the conduct of this matter to +any one, whether man or woman. Further, I will not deny that when in so +secret a place and safe from all suspicion I have kissed him with more +goodwill than I kiss you. But as I look to God for mercy, no other +familiarity has passed between us; he has never urged me to it, nor has +my heart ever desired it; for I was so glad at seeing him that methought +the world contained no greater pleasure. + +"And now, sir, will you, who are the sole cause of my misfortune, take +vengeance for conduct of which you have yourself long since set me an +example, with, indeed, this difference, that in your case you thought +nought of either honour or conscience; for you know and I know too +that the woman you love does not rest content with what God and reason +enjoin. And albeit the law of man deals great dishonour to wives who +love other men than their husbands, the law of God does not exempt from +punishment the husbands who love other women than their wives. And if my +offences are to be weighed against yours, you are more to blame than +I, for you are a wise and experienced man, and of an age to know and +to shun evil, whilst I am young and have no experience of the might and +power of love. You have a wife who desires you, honours you, and loves +you more than her own life; while I have a husband who avoids me, hates +me, and rates me as lightly as he would a servant maid. You are in love +with a woman who is already old, of meagre figure, and less fair than I; +whilst I love a gentleman younger, handsomer, and more amiable than you. +You love the wife of one of the best friends you have in the world, the +mistress, moreover, of your King and master, so that you offend against +the friendship that is due to the first, and the respect that is due to +the second; whereas I am in love with a gentleman whose only tie is his +love for me. Judge then fairly which of us two is the more worthy of +punishment or pardon: you, a man of wisdom and experience, who through +no provocation on my part have acted thus ill not only towards me, but +towards the King, to whom you are so greatly indebted; or I, who am +young and ignorant, who am slighted and despised by you, and loved by +the handsomest and most worshipful gentleman in France, a gentleman whom +I have loved in despair of ever being loved by you." + +When the husband heard her utter these truths with so fair a +countenance, and with such a bold and graceful assurance as clearly +testified that she neither dreaded nor deserved any punishment, he was +overcome with astonishment, and could find nothing to reply except that +a man's honour and a woman's were not the same thing. However, since she +swore to him that there had been nothing between herself and her lover +but what she had told him, he was not minded to treat her ill, provided +she would act so no more, and that they both put away the memory of the +past. To this she agreed, and they went to bed in harmony together. + +Next morning an old damosel who was in great fear for her mistress's +life came to her at her rising, and asked-- + +"Well, madam, and how do you fare?" + +"I would have you know," said her mistress, laughing, "that there is not +a better husband than mine, for he believed me on my oath." + +And so five or six days passed by. + +Meanwhile the husband had such care of his wife that he caused a watch +to be kept on her both night and day. But for all his care he could not +prevent her from again speaking with her lover in a dark and suspicious +place. However, she contrived matters with such secrecy that no one, +whether man or woman, could ever learn the truth, though a rumour was +started by some serving-man about a gentleman and a lady whom he had +found in a stable underneath the rooms belonging to the mistress of the +lady in question. At this her husband's suspicions were so great that he +resolved to slay the gentleman, and gathered together a large number of +his relations and friends to kill him if he was anywhere to be found. +But the chief among his kinsmen was so great a friend of the gentleman +whom they sought, that instead of surprising him he gave him warning of +all that was being contrived against him, for which reason the other, +being greatly liked by the whole Court, was always so well attended that +he had no fear of his enemy's power, and could not be taken unawares and +attacked. + +However, he betook himself to a church to meet his lady's mistress, +who had heard nothing of all that had passed, for the lovers had never +spoken together in her presence. But the gentleman now informed her of +the suspicion and ill-will borne him by the lady's husband, and told her +that although he was guiltless he had nevertheless resolved to go on a +long journey in order to check the rumours, which were beginning greatly +to increase. The Princess, his lady's mistress, was much astonished on +hearing this tale, and protested that the husband was much in the wrong +to suspect so virtuous a wife, and one in whom she had ever found all +worth and honour. Nevertheless, considering the husband's authority, and +in order to quell these evil reports, she advised him to absent himself +for a time, assuring him that for her part she would never believe such +foolish suspicions. + +Both the gentleman and the lady, who was present, were well pleased at +thus preserving the favour and good opinion of the Princess, who further +advised the gentleman to speak with the husband before his departure. +He did as he was counselled, and meeting with the husband in a gallery +close to the King's apartment, he assumed a bold countenance, and said +to him with all the respect due to one of high rank-- + +"All my life, sir, I have desired to do you service, and my only reward +is to hear that last evening you lay in wait to kill me. I pray you, +sir, reflect that while you have more authority and power than I have, I +am nevertheless a gentleman even as you are. It would be grievous to me +to lose my life for naught. I pray you also reflect that you have a wife +of great virtue, and if any man pretend the contrary I will tell him +that he has foully lied. For my part, I can think of nothing that I have +done to cause you to wish me ill. If, therefore, it please you, I will +remain your faithful servant; if not, I am that of the King, and with +that I may well be content." + +The husband replied that he had in truth somewhat suspected him, but +he deemed him so gallant a man that he would rather have his friendship +than his enmity; and bidding him farewell, cap in hand, he embraced +him like a dear friend. You may imagine what was said by those who, the +evening before, had been charged to kill the gentleman, when they beheld +such tokens of respect and friendship. And many and diverse were the +remarks that each one made. + +In this manner the gentleman departed, and as he had far less money than +good looks, his mistress delivered to him a ring that her husband had +given her of the value of three thousand crowns; and this he pledged for +fifteen hundred. + +Some time after he was gone, the husband came to the Princess, his +wife's mistress, and prayed her to grant his wife leave to go and dwell +for a while with one of his sisters. This the Princess thought very +strange, and so begged him to tell her the reasons of his request, that +he told her part of them, but not all. When the young lady had taken +leave of her mistress and of the whole Court without shedding any tears +or showing the least sign of grief, she departed on her journey to the +place whither her husband desired her to go, travelling under the care +of a gentleman who had been charged to guard her closely, and above all +not to suffer her to speak on the road to her suspected lover. + +She knew of these instructions, and every day was wont to cause false +alarms, scoffing at her custodians and their lack of care. Thus one day, +on leaving her lodging, she fell in with a Grey Friar on horseback, with +whom, being herself on her palfrey, she talked on the road the whole +time from the dinner to the supper hour. And when she was a quarter of +a league from the place where she was to lodge that night, she said to +him-- + +"Here, father, are two crowns which I give you for the consolation you +have afforded me this afternoon. They are wrapped in paper, for I well +know that you would not venture to touch them. (2) And I beg you to +leave the road as soon as you have parted from me, and to take care +that you are not seen by those who are with me. I say this for your own +welfare, and because I feel myself beholden to you." + + 2 The Grey Friars belonging to a mendicant order were + prohibited from demanding or accepting money; it was only + allowable for them to receive gifts in kind, mainly edible + produce. It was for this reason that the lady gave the friar + the two crowns wrapped in paper, knowing that he ought not + to touch the coins.--M. See also vol. i. p. 98, note 3. + +The friar, well pleased with the two crowns, set off across the fields +at full gallop; and when he was some distance away the lady said aloud +to her attendants-- + +"You may well deem yourselves good servants and diligent guards. He as +to whom you were to be so careful has been speaking to me the whole day, +and you have suffered him to do so. Your good master, who puts so much +trust in you, should give you the stick rather than give you wages." + +When the gentleman who had charge of her heard these words he was so +angry that he could not reply, but calling two others to him, set spurs +to his horse, and rode so hard that he at last reached the friar, who on +perceiving his pursuers had fled as fast as he could. However, the poor +fellow was caught, being less well mounted than they were. He was quite +ignorant of what it all meant, and cried them mercy, taking off his hood +in order that he might entreat them with bareheaded humility. Thereupon +they realised that he was not the man whom they sought, and that their +mistress had been mocking them. And this she did with even better effect +upon their return to her. + +"You are fitting fellows," said she, "to receive ladies in your charge. +You suffer them to talk to any stranger, and then, believing whatever +they may say, you go and insult the ministers of God." + +After all these jests they arrived at the place that her husband had +commanded, and here her two sisters-in-law, with the husband of one of +them, kept her in great subjection. + +In the meanwhile her husband had heard how his ring had been pledged +for fifteen hundred crowns, whereat he was exceedingly wrathful, and in +order to save his wife's honour and to get back the ring, he bade his +sisters tell her to redeem it, he himself paying the fifteen hundred +crowns. + +She cared nought for the ring since her lover had the money, but she +wrote to him saying that she was compelled by her husband to redeem it, +and in order that he might not suppose she was doing this through any +lessening of her affection, she sent him a diamond which her mistress +had given, her, and which she liked better than any ring she had. + +Thereupon the gentleman forwarded her the merchant's bond right +willingly; deeming himself fortunate in having fifteen hundred crowns +and a diamond, (3) and at being still assured of his lady's favour. +However, as long as the husband lived, he had no means of communing with +her save by writing. + +When the husband died, expecting to find her still what she had promised +him to be, he came in all haste to ask her in marriage; but he found +that his long absence had gained him a rival who was loved better than +himself. His sorrow at this was so great that he henceforth shunned the +companionship of ladies and sought out scenes of danger, and so at last +died in as high repute as any young man could have. (4) + + 3 The gentleman deemed it only natural that the woman he + honoured with his love should present him with money. In the + seventeenth century similar opinions were held, if one may + judge by some passages in Dancourt's comedies, and by the + presents which the Duchess of Cleveland made to Henry + Jerrayn and John Churchill, afterwards Duke of Marlborough, + as chronicled in the _Memoirs of the Count de Gramont_.--M. + + 4 Brantome tells a somewhat similar tale to this in his + _Vies des Dames Galantes_ (Dis. I.): "I knew," he writes, + "two ladies of the Court, sisters-in-law to one another, one + of whom was married to a courtier, high in favour and very + skilful, but who did not make as much account of his wife as + by reason of her birth he should have done, for he spoke to + her in public as he might have spoken to a savage, and + treated her most harshly. She patiently endured this for + some time, until indeed her husband lost some of his credit, + when, watching for and taking the opportunity, she quickly + repaid him for all the disdain that he had shown her. And + her sister-in-law imitated her and did likewise; for having + been married when of a young and tender age, her husband + made no more account of her than if she had been a little + girl.... But she, advancing in years, feeling her heart beat + and becoming conscious of her beauty, paid him back in the + same coin, and made him a present of a fine pair of horns, + by way of interest for the past"--Lalanne's _OEuvres de + Brantome_, vol. ix. p. 157.--L. + +"In this tale, ladies, I have tried, without sparing our own sex, to +show husbands that wives of spirit yield rather to vengeful wrath than +to the sweetness of love. The lady of whom I have told you withstood +the latter for a great while, but in the end succumbed to despair. +Nevertheless, no woman of virtue should yield as she did, for, happen +what may, no excuse can be found for doing wrong. The greater the +temptations, the more virtuous should one show oneself, by resisting and +overcoming evil with good, instead of returning evil for evil; and this +all the more because the evil we think to do to another often recoils +upon ourselves. Happy are those women who display the heavenly virtues +of chastity, gentleness, meekness, and long-suffering." + +"It seems to me, Longarine," said Hircan, "that the lady of whom you +have spoken was impelled by resentment rather than by love; for had she +loved the gentleman as greatly as she appeared to do, she would not +have forsaken him for another. She may therefore be called resentful, +vindictive, obstinate, and fickle." + +"It is all very well for you to talk in that way," said Ennasuite, "but +you do not know the heartbreak of loving without return." + +"It is true," said Hircan, "that I have had but little experience in +that way. If I am shown the slightest disfavour, I forthwith forego lady +and love together." + +"That," said Parlamente, "is well enough for you who love only your own +pleasure; but a virtuous wife cannot thus forsake her husband." + +"Yet," returned Simontault, "the lady in the story forgot for a while +that she was a woman. No man could have taken a more signal revenge." + +"It does not follow," said Oisille, "because one woman lacks discretion +that all the rest are the same." + +"Nevertheless," said Saffredent, "you are all women, as any one would +find who looked carefully, despite all the fine clothes you may wear." + +"If we were to listen to you," said Nomerlide, "we should spend the day +in disputes. For my part, I am so impatient to hear another tale, that I +beg Longarine to give some one her vote." + +Longarine looked at Geburon and said:-- + +"If you know anything about a virtuous woman, I pray you set it forth." + +"Since I am to do what I can," said Geburon, "I will tell you a tale of +something that happened in the city of Milan." + +[Illustration: 182.jpg Tailpiece] + +[Illustration: 183a.jpg The Gentleman discovering the Trick] + +[The Gentleman discovering the Trick] + +[Illustration: 183.jpg Page Image] + + + + +_TALE XVI_. + +_A lady of Milan, widow of an Italian Count, had resolved never again +to marry or to love. But for three years she was so earnestly wooed by a +French gentleman, that after repeated proof of the steadfastness of his +love, she granted him what he had so greatly desired, and they vowed to +each other everlasting affection_. (l) + +In the days of the Grand Master of Chaumont, (2) there lived a lady who +was reckoned one of the most honourable women that there were at that +time in the city of Milan. She had married an Italian Count, and being +left a widow, lived in the house of her brothers-in-law, refusing to +hear speak of another marriage. And so discreetly and piously did she +demean herself that there was none in the Duchy, whether French or +Italian, but held her in high esteem. + + 1 According to M. de Lincy, who points out that Bonnivet + must be the hero of the adventure here related, the + incidents referred to would have occurred at Milan between + 1501 and 1503; but in M. Lacroix's opinion they would be + posterior to 1506.--Ed. + + 2 See _ante_, note 1 to Tale XIV. + +One day when her brothers and sisters-in-law offered an entertainment to +the Grand Master of Chaumont, this widow lady was obliged to be present, +though she made it her rule not to attend such gatherings when held in +other places. And when the Frenchmen saw her, they were all admiration +for her beauty and grace, especially one among them whose name I shall +not mention; for it will suffice for you to know that there was no +Frenchman in Italy more worthy of love than he, for he was endowed with +all the beauties and graces that a gentleman could have. And though he +saw that the lady wore black crape, and remained with several old women +in a corner apart from the young ones, yet, having never known what it +was to fear either man or woman, he set himself to converse with her, +taking off his mask, and leaving the dance in order to remain in her +company. + +Throughout the whole of the evening he did not cease talking to her and +to the old women, and found more pleasure in doing so than if he had +been with the most youthful and bravely attired ladies of the Court. So +much, indeed, was this the case, that when the hour came to withdraw he +seemed to have not yet had time even to sit down. And although he only +spoke to the lady on such common matters as were suited to such company, +she knew very well that he desired to win her favour, and this she +resolved to guard against by all means in her power, so that he was +never afterwards able to see her at any banquet or assembly. + +He inquired about the manner of her life, and found that she often went +to churches and convents; whereupon he kept such good watch that she +could never visit them so secretly but he was there before her. And he +would remain in the church as long as he had the happiness to see +her, and all the time that she was present would gaze at her so +affectionately that she could not remain in ignorance of the love he +bore her. In order to avoid him, she resolved to feign illness for a +time, and to hear mass in her own house; and at this the gentleman was +most sorely grieved, for he had no other means of seeing her than at +church. + +Thinking that she had cured him of his habit, she at last returned to +the churches as before, but love quickly brought tidings of this to the +French gentleman, who then renewed his habits of devotion. He feared, +however, that she might again throw some hindrance in his way, and that +he might not have time to tell her what he would; and so one morning, +when she thought herself well concealed in a chapel, he placed himself +at the end of the altar at which she was hearing mass; and seeing that +she was but scantily attended, he turned towards her just as the priest +was elevating the host, and in a soft and loving voice said to her-- + +"May I be sent to perdition, madam, by Him whom the priest has now in +his hands, if you are not causing my death. Though you take from me +all means of speaking with you, you cannot be ignorant of my desire; my +wearied eyes and my deathly face must make the truth apparent to you." +(3) + + 3 The Queen of Navarre is known to have had a considerable + knowledge of the Italian language, and it is therefore quite + possible that she was acquainted with the story of + Poliphilus and Polia, which, although no French translation + of it appeared until 1554, had been issued at Venice as + early as 1499. In any case, however, there is a curious + similarity between the speech of the French gentleman given + above and the discourse which Poliphilus addresses to Polia + when he finds her saying her prayers in the temple. A + considerable portion of the Italian story is in keeping with + the character of the _Heptameron_ tales.--M. + +The lady pretended not to understand him, and replied-- + +"God's name should not thus be taken in vain; but the poets say that +the gods laugh at the oaths and lies of lovers, and so women who regard +their honour should not show themselves credulous or compassionate." + +With these words she rose up and returned home. + +The gentleman's anger at these words may well be imagined by such as +have experienced the like fortune. But having no lack of spirit, he held +it better to have received this unfavourable reply than to have failed +in declaring his love, to which he held fast during three years, losing +neither time nor opportunity in wooing her by letters and in other ways. + +For three years, however, she vouchsafed him no reply, but shunned +him as the wolf shuns the hound that is to take him; and this she did +through fear for her honour and fair fame, and not because she hated +him. He perceived this so clearly that he pursued her more eagerly than +ever; and at last, after many refusals, troubles, tortures and despairs, +the lady took pity upon him for the greatness and steadfastness of his +love, and so granted him what he had so greatly desired and so long +awaited. + +When they had agreed concerning the means to be employed, the French +gentleman failed not to repair to her house, although in doing so he +placed his life in great danger, seeing that she and her relations lived +all together. + +However, being as skilful as he was handsome, he contrived the matter +so prudently that he was able to enter the lady's room at the hour which +she had appointed, and found her there all alone, lying in a beautiful +bed; but as he was hasting to put off his clothes in order to join her, +he heard a great whispering at the door, and a noise of swords scraping +against the wall. + +Then the widow said to him, with the face of one nigh to death-- + +"Now is your life and my honour in as great danger as well can be, for I +hear my brothers outside seeking you to slay you. I pray you, therefore, +hide yourself under this bed, and when they fail to find you I shall +have reason to be angry with them for alarming me without just cause." + +The gentleman, who had never yet known fear, replied-- + +"And what, pray, are your brothers that they should frighten a man of +mettle? If the whole breed of them were there together, I am sure they +would not tarry for the fourth thrust of my sword. Do you, therefore, +rest quietly in bed, and leave the guarding of this door to me." + +Then he wrapped his cloak about his arm, took his drawn sword in his +hand, and opened the door so that he might have a closer view of +the swords that he had heard. When the door was opened, he saw two +serving-women, who, holding a sword in each hand, had raised this alarm. + +"Sir," they said to him, "forgive us. We were commanded by our mistress +to act in this manner, but you shall be hindered by us no more." + +Seeing that they were women, the gentleman could do no more than bid +them go to the devil, and shut the door in their faces. Then he got into +bed to the lady with all imaginable speed, his passion for her being in +no wise diminished by fear; and forgetting to inquire the reason of this +skirmish, he thought only of satisfying his desire. + +But when daybreak was drawing nigh, he begged his mistress to tell him +why she had treated him so ill, both in making him wait so long, and in +having played this last trick upon him. + +"My intention," she answered, laughing, "had been never to love again, +and I had observed it from the time I became a widow; but, after you +had spoken to me at the entertainment, your worth led me to change +my resolve, and to love you as much as you loved me. It is true that +honour, which had ever guided me, would not suffer me to be led by love +to do aught to the disparagement of my reputation. But as the poor hind +when wounded unto death thinks by change of place to change the pain it +carries with it, so did I go from church to church thinking to flee from +him whom I carried in my heart, and the proof of whose perfect devotion +has reconciled honour and love. However, that I might be the more +certain that I was giving my heart and love to a true man, I desired to +make this last proof by means of my serving-women. And I vow to you that +had I found you so timorous as to hide beneath my bed, either for fear +of your life or for any other reason, I was resolved to rise and go into +another room and never see you more. But since I have found that you are +possessed of more beauty, and grace, and virtue, and valour than rumour +had given you, and that fear has no power over your heart, nor can cool +one whit the love you bear me, I am resolved to cleave to you for the +remainder of my days. I feel sure that I could not place life and +honour in better hands than those of one whom I deem unmatched in every +virtue." + +And, just as though the human will could be unchangeable, they vowed and +promised what was not in their power, namely, perpetual affection. For +this is a thing that can neither spring up nor abide in the heart of +man, as only those ladies know who have had experience of how long such +feelings last. (4) + + 4 In Boaistuau's edition of the _Heptameron_ the final part + of the above sentence is given as follows: "And those women + that have had experience of it know this, and also how long + such fancies last." An extract from Brantome in connection + with the story will be found in the Appendix to this volume, + D. + +"So, ladies, if you are wise, you will beware of us even as the stag, +had he understanding, would beware of the hunter; for our glory, +happiness, and delight is to see you captured in order to rob you of +that which is more precious to you than life." + +"Why, Geburon," said Hircan, "since when have you turned preacher? I can +remember a time when you did not talk after that fashion." + +"It is quite true," said Geburon, "that I have just spoken contrary to +what I have always said my life long; but since my teeth are no longer +able to chew venison, I warn the hapless deer to beware of the hunters, +in order that I may atone in my old age for all the mischief which I +sought to do in my youth." + +"We thank you, Geburon," said Nomerfide, "for warning us to our profit, +but for all that we do not feel very greatly beholden to you. You never +spoke in that way to one you truly loved, and this is a proof that +you have little love for us, and, moreover, would not have us loved. +Nevertheless, we hold ourselves as discreet and as virtuous as the +ladies whom you so long pursued in your youth. But old folk are commonly +vain enough to think that they have been wiser in their time than those +who come after them." + +"Well, Nomerfide," said Geburon, "will you believe that I have told +you the truth when the faithlessness of one of your lovers has made you +acquainted with the evil nature of men?" + +"It seems to me," said Oisille to Geburon, "that the gentleman whom you +praise so highly for his boldness ought rather to be praised for the +ardour of his love. So strong is this passion, that it impels the most +cowardly to embark on enterprises about which the bravest would think +twice." + +"If, madam," said Saffredent, "he'had not deemed the Italians to be +better at talking than acting, me-thinks he had reason to be afraid." + +"Yes," said Oisille, "if he had not had in his heart the fire that +consumes fear." + +"Since you do not deem the boldness of this gentleman altogether worthy +of praise," said Hircan, "you doubtless know of some one else more +deserving of commendation." + +"Nay," said Oisille, "the gentleman in the story deserves praise, but I +do know of one who is more worthy of being admired." + +"I pray you, madam," said Geburon, "if that be so, take my place and +tell us the tale." + +"If," began Oisille, "a man who showed such boldness against the +Milanese to save his own life and his mistress's honour is to be +esteemed so very brave, what shall be said of one who, without any need +for it, and from pure and simple valour, performed the deed of which I +will now tell you?" + +[Illustration: 193.jpg Tailpiece] + +[Illustration: 195a.jpg The King showing his Sword] + +[The King showing his Sword] + +[Illustration: 195.jpg Page Image] + + + + +_TALE XVII_. + +_King Francis, being urged to banish Count William, who was said to have +received money to bring about his death, did not suffer it to appear +that he had any inkling of the scheme, but played the Count so shrewd a +trick that he himself took leave of the King and went into banishment_. +(1) + +To the town of Dijon, in the Duchy of Burgundy, there came a German +Count to take service with King Francis. He was named William, (2) and +was of the House of Saxony, which is so closely allied with that of +Savoy that formerly they were but one. This Count, who was held for as +handsome and valiant a gentleman as Germany ever knew, was right well +received by the King, who not only took him into his service, but kept +him close to himself as a groom of the chamber. + + 1 The incidents of this story are historical. Francis I. is + known to have sojourned at Dijon in June and July 1521.--L. + + 2 This is William, eldest son of Wolfgang von Furstemberg, + chamberlain to Maximilian I., and privy counsellor to Philip + of Austria.--B. J. Various particulars concerning him are + given in the Appendix to this volume, E. + +Now the Lord de la Tremoille, (3) Governor of Burgundy, an old knight +and a loyal servant to the King, was ever jealous and anxious for his +master's safety, and was wont to have spies at all points to learn what +the King's enemies were doing; and so prudently did he contrive matters, +that but few things were hidden from him. Among his informations there +came to him one day a letter from a friend telling him that Count +William had received a sum of money, with promise of more, for putting +the King to death in any such manner as he might find possible. (4) + + 3 This is Louis II., Sire de la Tremoille, Viscount of + Thouars and Prince of Talmont, born in 1460. The son of + Louis I. de la Tremoille and of Margaret d'Amboise, he + became one of the most remarkable men of his time. Favoured + by Anne de Beaujeu, who arranged his marriage with Gabrielle + de Bourbon, he commanded the royal troops at the battle of + St. Aubin du Cormier, in Brittany (1488), at which the + rebellious Duke of Orleans (afterwards Louis XII.) and the + Prince of Orange, with a large number of the nobles, their + partisans, were made prisoners. They were all invited to La + Tremoille's table after the engagement, and, according to + Godefroi's Latin history of Louis XII., at the close of the + repast two Franciscan monks entered the hall, whereupon La + Tremoille rose and said: "Princes, I refer your judgments to + the King, but as for you, Knights, who have broken your + faith and falsified your knightly oath, you shall pay for + your crime with your heads. If you have any remorse on your + consciences, here are monks who will shrive you." The hall + resounded with lamentations, but the unhappy nobles were + promptly dragged into the courtyard, and there put to death; + both Orleans and Orange being too terror-stricken to + intercede for them. When the former came to the throne, he + forgave La Tremoille for his conduct in this affair, and + showed him great favour, appointing him Governor of Burgundy + in 1501. La Tremoille also became Admiral of Guienne and + Brittany, and figured conspicuously in the various Italian + campaigns of the period. He was killed at Pavia in 1525. + Jean Bouchet, a contemporary, wrote a curious life of this + remarkable man, entitled _Panegyric du Chevalier sans + reproche_. It will be found in Michaud and Poujoulat's + _Collection de Mitnoires_,--L. and Ed. + + 4 It has been suggested that the instigator of this plot + was Charles V.'s famous minister, Cardinal Granvelle.--Ed. + +The Lord de la Tremoille failed not to give speedy notice of the affair +to the King, and further made it known to the King's mother, Louise of +Savoy, who, forgetting that she and this German were akin, begged the +King to banish him forthwith. But the King bade her speak no more of +it, saying that it was impossible so upright and honourable a gentleman +would undertake so vile a deed. + +Some time afterwards a second warning arrived in confirmation of the +first, and the Governor, burning with love for his master, sought +permission either to banish the Count or else take him in hand in some +other fashion; but the King charged him expressly to keep the affair +secret, being persuaded that he might discover the truth by some other +means. + +One day when going a-hunting, the King, as his sole weapon, buckled on +the finest sword it were possible to see, and took Count William along +with him, desiring that he would follow him close. After hunting the +stag for some time, seeing that all his people save the Count were far +off, he turned out of all the roads and tracks, till he found himself +alone with the Count in the deepest part of the forest, (5) when, +drawing his sword, he said:-- + +"Think you that this sword be handsome and trusty?" + + 5 This may be either the forest of Argilly or that of + Mondragon, both in the vicinity of Dijon.--ED. + +The Count took it by the point, and answered that he had never seen one +that he liked better. + +"You are right," said the King; "and I think that, if a gentleman had +resolved to slay me, he would think twice before he attacked me if +he knew the strength of my arm, the stoutness-of my heart, and the +excellence of this sword. Yet, for all that, I should count him but a +craven scoundrel if, when we were face to face and alone, he durst not +execute what he had dared to undertake." + +"Sire," replied Count William, with astonished countenance, "the +wickedness of the undertaking would be very great, but the folly of +seeking to execute it would be no less." + +The King laughed, sheathed his sword again, and hearing the hunt hard +by, spurred after it with all speed. When he reached his train he spoke +to none of what had passed, but he felt convinced that, although Count +William was as brave and ready a gentleman as might be, he was not the +man to carry out so high an enterprise. + +However, Count William, fearing that he had been discovered or was at +least suspected, repaired the next morning to Robertet, Secretary +for the King's Finances, (6) and told him that he had considered the +privileges and pay offered him to continue in the King's service, and +that they would not suffice to support him for half the year. Unless +therefore it pleased the King to give him double, he would be forced to +depart; and he accordingly begged the said Robertet to acquaint him +as soon as might be with the will of the King. To this the Secretary +replied that he could not better advance the business than by going to +the King straightway; and he undertook the mission right willingly, for +he had seen the warnings that the Governor had received. + + 6 This is Florimond Robertet, the first of that family of + statesmen who served the French crown from Charles VIII. to + Henri III. It was Charles VIII. who appointed Florimond + Treasurer of France and Secretary of Finances, offices in + which he displayed great skill and honesty. Louis XII., who + confirmed him in his functions, habitually consulted him on + important political affairs. He acquired considerable + wealth, and was often called "the great baron," after the + barony of Alluye, which he possessed in Le Perche. One of + the curiosities of Blois is the Hotel d'Alluye, a house of + semi-Moorish style, erected by Robertet at the close of the + fifteenth century. Another of his residences was the chateau + of Bury, near Blois, where he set up Michael Angelo's famous + bronze statue of David, presented to him by the city of + Florence, and the fate of which has furnished material for + so much speculation. Under Francis I. Robertet enjoyed the + same credit as during the two previous reigns. Fleuranges + declares that no one else was so intimate with the King, and + commends him as being the most experienced and competent + statesman of the times. According to the _Journal d'un + Bourgeois de Paris_, Robertet died "at the Palais (de + Justice) in Paris, of which he was concierge," on November + 29, 1527. Francis repeatedly visited him during his illness, + and, on his death, ordered that his remains should lie in + state, and be interred with great pomp and ceremony. Clement + Marot's works contain a poem, four hundred lines in length, + celebrating Robertet's virtues and talents.--L., B. J., and + Ed. + +As soon, therefore, as the King was awake he failed not to lay the +matter before him in the presence of the Lord de la Tremoille and the +Admiral de Bonnivet, who were ignorant of the trick that the King had +played the Count the day before. + +Then the King laughed, and said to them--"You desired to banish Count +William, and you see he is banishing himself. Wherefore, tell him +that if he be not content with the establishment which he accepted on +entering my service, and which many men of good families have deemed +themselves fortunate to have, he must e'en seek a better fortune +elsewhere. For my part, I will in no wise hinder him, but shall be well +pleased if he can find some condition wherein to live according to his +deserts." + +Robertet was as prompt to bear this answer to the Count as he had been +to prefer his request to the King. The Count replied that with the +King's permission he was resolved to depart, and, like one whom fear +urges to flight, he did not tarry even four and twenty hours; but, +just as the King was sitting down to table, came to take leave of him, +feigning much sorrow that his need should force him from the Royal +presence. + +He also went to take leave of the King's mother, who parted from him +no less joyfully than she had formerly received him as a kinsman and +friend. And thus he returned to his own country; and the King, seeing +his mother and courtiers in amazement at his sudden departure, told +them of the fright he had given him, saying that, even if the Count +were innocent of that which was laid against him, his fear had been +sufficiently great to constrain him to leave a master whose temper he +had not yet come to know. + +"For my part, ladies, I can see no reason why the King should have been +moved to risk himself thus against so famous a captain, except that, +forsaking the company and places where Kings find no inferiors ready to +give them battle, he desired to place himself on an equal footing with +one whom he suspected to be his enemy; and this that he might have the +satisfaction of testing the stoutness and valour of his own heart." + +"Without a doubt," said Parlamente, "he was in the right; for all the +praise of man cannot so well satisfy a noble heart as its own particular +knowledge and experience of the virtues that God has placed in it." + +"The ancients," said Geburon, "long ago showed us that to reach the +Temple of Fame it was necessary to pass through the Temple of Virtue, +and I, who am acquainted with the two persons in your tale, know +right well that the King is indeed one of the most valiant men in his +kingdom." + +"By my word," said Hircan, "at the time when Count William came to +France, I should have feared his [the King's] sword more than those of +the four most accomplished Italian gentlemen at Court." + +"We well know," said Ennasuite, "that he is too famous for our praises +to equal his merit, and that the day would be spent before we each could +say all the good we think of him. And so, madam, I pray you, give your +vote to one who will tell us some further good of men, if such there +be." + +Then said Oisille to Hircan-- + +"It seems to me that, as you are so wont to speak ill of women, you will +find it easy to tell us some good story in praise of a man. I therefore +give you my vote." + +"That can I easily do," said Hircan, "for but a little while since I was +told a story in praise of a gentleman whose love, constancy and patience +are so meritorious that I must not suffer them to be forgotten." + +[Illustration: 203.jpg Tailpiece] + +[Illustration: 205a.jpg The Student escaping the Temptation] + +[The Student escaping the Temptation] + +[Illustration: 205.jpg Page Image] + + + + +_TALE XVIII_. + + _A young student of noble birth, being smitten with love for + a very beautiful lady, subdued both love and himself in + order to achieve his end, and this in spite of many such + temptations as might have sufficed to make him break his + promise. And so all his woes were turned to joy by a reward + suitable to his constant, patient, loyal and perfect love_. + (1) + + 1 This story seems to be based on fact, being corroborated + in its main lines by Brantome, but there is nothing in the + narrative to admit of the personages referred to being + identified.--Ed. + +In one of the goodly towns of the kingdom of France there dwelt a +nobleman of good birth, who attended the schools that he might learn how +virtue and honour are to be acquired among virtuous men. But although +he was so accomplished that at the age of seventeen or eighteen years he +was, as it were, both precept and example to others, Love failed not to +add his lesson to the rest; and, that he might be the better hearkened +to and received, concealed himself in the face and the eyes of the +fairest lady in the whole country round, who had come to the city in +order to advance a suit-at-law. But before Love sought to vanquish the +gentleman by means of this lady's beauty, he had first won her heart by +letting her see the perfections of this young lord; for in good looks, +grace, sense and excellence of speech he was surpassed by none. + +You, who know what speedy way is made by the fire of love when once it +fastens on the heart and fancy, will readily imagine that between two +subjects so perfect as these it knew little pause until it had them at +its will, and had so filled them with its clear light, that thought, +wish and speech were all aflame with it. Youth, begetting fear in the +young lord, led him to urge his suit with all the gentleness imaginable; +but she, being conquered by love, had no need of force to win her. +Nevertheless, shame, which tarries with ladies as long as it can, +for some time restrained her from declaring her mind. But at last the +heart's fortress, which is honour's abode, was shattered in such sort +that the poor lady consented to that which she had never been minded to +refuse. + +In order, however, to make trial of her lover's patience, constancy +and love, she only granted him what he sought on a very hard condition, +assuring him that if he fulfilled it she would love him perfectly for +ever; whereas, if he failed in it, he would certainly never win her as +long as he lived. And the condition was this:--she would be willing to +talk with him, both being in bed together, clad in their linen only, but +he was to ask nothing more from her than words and kisses. + +He, thinking there was no joy to be compared to that which she promised +him, agreed to the proposal, and that evening the promise was kept; in +such wise that, despite all the caresses she bestowed on him and the +temptations that beset him, he would not break his oath. And albeit his +torment seemed to him no less than that of Purgatory, yet was his +love so great and his hope so strong, sure as he felt of the ceaseless +continuance of the love he had thus painfully won, that he preserved his +patience and rose from beside her without having done anything contrary +to her expressed wish. (2) + + 2 Brantome's _Dames Galantes_ contains an anecdote which is + very similar in character to this tale: "I have heard + speak," he writes, "of a very beautiful and honourable lady, + who gave her lover an assignation to sleep with her, on the + condition that he should not touch her... and he actually + obeyed her, remaining in a state of ecstasy, temptation and + continence the whole night long; whereat she was so well + pleased with him that some time afterwards she consented to + become his mistress, giving as her reason that she had + wished to prove his love by his obedience to her + injunctions; and on this account she afterwards loved him + the more, for she felt sure that he was capable of even a + greater feat than this, though it were a very great one."-- + Lalanne's _OEuvres de Brantome_, vol. ix. pp. 6, 7.--L. + +The lady was, I think, more astonished than pleased by such virtue; and +giving no heed to the honour, patience and faithfulness her lover had +shown in the keeping of his oath, she forthwith suspected that his love +was not so great as she had thought, or else that he had found her less +pleasing than he had expected. + +She therefore resolved, before keeping her promise, to make a further +trial of the love he bore her; and to this end she begged him to +talk to a girl in her service, who was younger than herself and very +beautiful, bidding him make love speeches to her, so that those who saw +him come so often to the house might think that it was for the sake of +this damsel and not of herself. + +The young lord, feeling sure that his own love was returned in equal +measure, was wholly obedient to her commands, and for love of her +compelled himself to make love to the girl; and she, finding him so +handsome and well-spoken, believed his lies more than other truth, and +loved him as much as though she herself were greatly loved by him. + +The mistress finding that matters were thus well advanced, albeit the +young lord did not cease to claim her promise, granted him permission to +come and see her at one hour after midnight, saying that after having so +fully tested the love and obedience he had shown towards her, it was but +just that he should be rewarded for his long patience. Of the lover's +joy on hearing this you need have no doubt, and he failed not to arrive +at the appointed time. + +But the lady, still wishing to try the strength of his love, had said to +her beautiful damsel-- + +"I am well aware of the love a certain nobleman bears to you, and I +think you are no less in love with him; and I feel so much pity for you +both, that I have resolved to afford you time and place that you may +converse together at your ease." + +The damsel was so enchanted that she could not conceal her longings, but +answered that she would not fail to be present. + +In obedience, therefore, to her mistress's counsel and command, she +undressed herself and lay down on a handsome bed, in a room the door of +which the lady left half-open, whilst within she set a light so that the +maiden's beauty might be clearly seen. Then she herself pretended to go +away, but hid herself near to the bed so carefully that she could not be +seen. + +Her poor lover, thinking to find her according to her promise, failed +not to enter the room as softly as he could, at the appointed hour; and +after he had shut the door and put off his garments and fur shoes, he +got into the bed, where he looked to find what he desired. But no +sooner did he put out his arms to embrace her whom he believed to be his +mistress, than the poor girl, believing him entirely her own, had her +arms round his neck, speaking to him the while in such loving words and +with so beautiful a countenance, that there is not a hermit so holy but +he would have forgotten his beads for love of her. + +But when the gentleman recognised her with both eye and ear, and found +he was not with her for whose sake he had so greatly suffered, the love +that had made him get so quickly into the bed, made him rise from it +still more quickly. And in anger equally with mistress and damsel, he +said-- + +"Neither your folly nor the malice of her who put you there can make +me other than I am. But do you try to be an honest woman, for you shall +never lose that good name through me." + +So saying he rushed out of the room in the greatest wrath imaginable, +and it was long before he returned to see his mistress. However love, +which is never without hope, assured him that the greater and more +manifest his constancy was proved to be by all these trials, the longer +and more delightful would be his bliss. + +The lady, who had seen and heard all that passed, was so delighted and +amazed at beholding the depth and constancy of his love, that she was +impatient to see him again in order to ask his forgiveness for the +sorrow that she had caused him to endure. And as soon as she could meet +with him, she failed not to address him in such excellent and pleasant +words, that he not only forgot all his troubles but even deemed +them very fortunate, seeing that their issue was to the glory of his +constancy and the perfect assurance of his love, the fruit of which he +enjoyed from that time forth as fully as he could desire, without either +hindrance or vexation. (3) + + 3 In reference to this story, Montaigne says in his Essay + on Cruelty: "Such as have sensuality to encounter, willingly + make use of this argument, that when it is at the height it + subjects us to that degree that a man's reason can have no + access... wherein they conceive that the pleasure doth so + transport us that our reason cannot perform its office + whilst we are so benumbed and extacied in delight.... But I + know that a man may triumph over the utmost effort of this + pleasure: I have experienced it in myself, and have not + found Venus so imperious a goddess as many--and some more + reformed than I--declare. I do not consider it as a miracle, + as the Queen of Navarre does in one of the Tales of her + _Heptameron_ (which is a marvellous pretty book of the + kind), nor for a thing of extreme difficulty to pass over + whole nights, where a man has all the convenience and + liberty he can desire, with a long-coveted mistress, and yet + be just to his faith first given to satisfy himself with + kisses and innocent embraces only, without pressing any + further."--Cotton's "Montaigne's Essays", London, 1743, vol + ii. pp. 109-10. + +"I pray you, ladies, find me if you can a woman who has ever shown +herself as constant, patient and true as was this man. They who have +experienced the like temptations deem those in the pictures of Saint +Antony very small in comparison; for one who can remain chaste and +patient in spite of beauty, love, opportunity and leisure, will have +virtue enough to vanquish every devil." + +"Tis a pity," said Oisille, "that he did not address his love to a woman +possessing as much virtue as he possessed himself. Their amour would +then have been the most perfect and honourable that was ever heard of." + +"But prithee tell me," said Geburon, "which of the two trials do you +deem the harder?" + +"I think the last," said Parlamente, "for resentment is the strongest of +all temptations." + +Longarine said she thought that the first was the most arduous to +sustain, since to keep his promise it was needful he should subdue both +love and himself. + +"It is all very well for you to talk," said Simontault, "it is for us +who know the truth of the matter to say what we think of it. For my own +part, I think he was stupid the first time and witless the second; for +I make no doubt that, while he was keeping his promise, to his mistress, +she was put to as much trouble as himself, if not more. She had him take +the oath only in order to make herself out a more virtuous woman than +she really was; she must have well known that strong love will not be +bound by commandment or oath, or aught else on earth, and she simply +sought to give a show of virtue to her vice, as though she could be won +only through heroic virtues. And the second time he was witless to leave +a woman who loved him, and who was worth more than his pledged mistress, +especially when his displeasure at the trick played upon him had been a +sound excuse." + +Here Dagoucin put in that he was of the contrary opinion, and held that +the gentleman had on the first occasion shown himself constant, patient +and true, and on the second occasion loyal and perfect in his love. + +"And how can we tell," asked Saffredent, "that he was not one of those +that a certain chapter calls _de frigidis et malificiatis?_" (4) + + 4 This is an allusion to the penalties pronounced by + several ecclesiastical Councils, and specified in the + Capitularies, against those who endeavoured to suspend the + procreative faculties of their enemies by resorting to + magic. On this matter Baluze's collection of Capitularies + (vol. i.) may be consulted. The "chapter" referred to by + Margaret is evidently chapter xv. (book vi.) of the + Decretals of Pope Boniface VIII., which bears the title of + _De frigidis et maleficiatis_, and which is alluded to by + Rabelais in _Pantagruel_. The belief in the practices in + question dates back to ancient times, and was shared by + Plato and Pliny, the latter of whom says that to guard + against any spell of the kind some wolf fat should be rubbed + upon the threshold and door jambs of one's bed-chamber. In + the sixteenth century sorcery of this description was so + generally believed in, in some parts of France, that + Cardinal du Perron inserted special prayers against it in + the ritual. Some particulars on the subject will be found in + the _Admirables Secrets du Petit Albert_, and also in a + _Traite d'Enchantement_, published at La Rochelle in 1591, + which gives details concerning certain practices alleged to + take place on the solemnisation of marriage among those of + the Reformed Church.--D. and L. + +"To complete his eulogy, Hircan ought to have told us how he comported +himself when he obtained what he wanted, and then we should have been +able to judge whether it was virtue or impotence that made him observe +so much discretion." + +"You may be sure," said Hircan, "that had he told me this I should have +concealed it as little as I did the rest. Nevertheless, from seeing his +person and knowing his temper, I shall ever hold that his conduct was +due to the power of love rather than to any impotence or coldness." + +"Well, if he was such as you say," said Simontault, "he ought to have +broken his oath; for, had the lady been angered by such a trifle, it +would have been easy to appease her." + +"Nay," said Ennasuite, "perhaps she would not then have consented." + +"And pray," said Saffredent, "would it not have been easy enough to +compel her, since she had herself given him the opportunity?" + +"By Our Lady!" said Nomerfide, "how you run on! Is that the way to win +the favour of a lady who is accounted virtuous and discreet?" + +"In my opinion," said Saffredent, "the highest honour that can be paid +to a woman from whom such things are desired is to take her by force, +for there is not the pettiest damsel among them but seeks to be long +entreated. Some indeed there are who must receive many gifts before they +are won, whilst there are others so stupid that hardly any device or +craft can enable one to win them, and with these one must needs be ever +thinking of some means or other. But when you have to do with a woman +who is too clever to be deceived, and too virtuous to be gained by words +or gifts, is there not good reason to employ any means whatever that may +be at your disposal to vanquish her? When you hear it said that a man +has taken a woman by force, you may be sure that the woman has left him +hopeless of any other means succeeding, and you should not think any +the worse of a man who has risked his life in order to give scope to his +love." + +Geburon burst out laughing. + +"In my day," said he, "I have seen besieged places stormed because it +was impossible to bring the garrison to a parley either by money or by +threats; 'tis said that a place which begins to treat is half taken." + +"You may think," said Ennasuite, "that every love on earth is based upon +such follies as these, but there are those who have loved, and who have +long persevered in their love, with very different aims." + +"If you know a story of that kind," said Hircan, "I will give place to +you for the telling of it." + +"I do know one," said Ennasuite, "and I will very willingly relate it." + +[Illustration: 216.jpg Tailpiece] + + + + +APPENDIX. + + + + +A. (Tale VIII., Page i.) + +Tales of a similar character to this will be found in the following +works written prior to Margaret's time:-- + +Legrand d'Aussy's collection of _Fabliaux ou Contes du XIIeme et XIIIeme +siecles_ (vol. iii.). + +Boccaccio's _Decameron_ (day viii., story iv.). + +Enguerrand d'Oisy's _Le Meunier d'Aleu_. + +Poggio's _Facetio ( Vir sibi cornua promovens)_. + +Sacchetti's _Novelle_ (vol. ii., No. ccvi.). + +Morlini's _Novelle_ (No. lxxix.). + +_Les Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles_ (story ix.). + +Malespini's _Ducento Novelle_ (part ii., No. xcvi.). + +Of the foregoing, says M. de Montaiglon, Margaret could only have been +acquainted with the _Decameron_, the _Cent Nouvelles_, and Poggio's +_Facetio_, which had been translated into French by Tardix (see Nos. cv. +and ex. of that translation). + +A similar story in Latin verse is also contained in a fourteenth century +MS. at Monte Cassino. See _I codici e le arti a Monte Cassino_, by D. +Andrea Caravita (vol. ii. p. 289). + +Since Margaret's time stories of the same character have appeared in the +following works:-- + +Melander's _Jocondia_ (p. 298). + +Phil. Beroalde's _Contes Latins_ (see _Poggii Imitationes_, Noel's ed., +vol. ii. p. 245). + +Guicciardini's _Hore di Recreazione_ (p. 103). + +J. Bouchet's _Serees_ (No. 8; Roybet's ed., vol. ii. p. 115). + +Gabrielle Chapuys' _Facetieuses Journees_ (p. 213). + +La Fontaine's _Contes_ (book v., No. viii.:_ Les Quiproquo_). _Le +Passe-Temps Agreable_ (p. 27). + +Moreover, a song written on the same subject will be found, says M. +de Lincy, on folio 44 of the _Premier Recueil de toutes les chansons +nouvelles_ (Troyes, Nicholas du Ruau, 1590). It is there called "The +facetious and recreative story of a certain labourer of a village near +Paris, who, thinking that he was enjoying his servant, lay with his +wife." This song was reprinted in various other collections of the +sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. + + + + +B (Tale XL (B.), Page 95.) + +An anecdote in keeping with this story will be found in Brantome's +miscellaneous works (Petitot's ed., vol. viii. pp. 382-4). The author +of _Les Dames Galantes_, after alluding to his aunt Louise de +Bourdeille--who was brought up at Court by Anne of Brittany--proceeds to +say:-- + +"A certain Grey Friar, who habitually preached before the Queen, fell so +deeply in love with Mademoiselle de Bourdeille that he completely lost +his wits, and sometimes in his sermons, whilst speaking of the beauty +of the holy virgins of past times, he would so forget himself as to say +some words respecting the beauty of my said aunt, not to mention the +soft glances which he cast at her. And sometimes, whilst in the Queen's +room, he would take great pleasure in discoursing to her, not with words +of love however, for he would have incurred a whipping, but with other +covert words which tended towards love. My aunt in no wise approved +of his discourses, and made some mention of them to her own and her +companions' governess. The Queen heard of the matter and could not +believe it, on account of this man's cloth and holiness. For this reason +she kept silent until a certain Good Friday, when, in accordance with +custom, this friar preached before her on the Holy Passion. The ladies +and the maids, including my aunt, being seated as was their wont before +the reverend father, in full view of him, he, as though giving out the +text and introit of his sermon, began to say: 'It is for you, lovely +humanity, it is for you that I suffer this day. Thus on a certain +occasion spake our Lord Jesus Christ.' Then proceeding with his sermon +the friar chronicled all the sufferings and afflictions which Jesus +endured for mankind at His death upon the Cross, and these he compared +to the sufferings that he himself endured on account of my aunt; but in +such covert, such disguised words that even the most enlightened might +have failed to understand their meaning. Queen Anne, however, who was +very expert both in mind and judgment, laid hold of this, and took +counsel as to the real meaning of the sermon, both with certain lords +and ladies and certain learned men who were there present. They all +pronounced the sermon to be most scandalous, and the Grey Friar most +deserving of punishment; for which reason he was secretly chastised and +whipped, and then driven away, without any scandal being made. Such was +the Queen's reply to the amours of this Grey Friar; and thus was my aunt +well avenged on him for the way in which he had so often importuned her. +In those times it was not allowable, under divers penalties, either to +contradict or to refuse to speak to such people, who, so it was thought, +conversed only of God and the salvation of the soul." + +In Merimee's Chronique de Charles IX., there will be found a facetious +sermon by another Grey Friar; this, however, is less in keeping with the +_Heptameron_, than with the character of the discourses delivered by the +preachers of the League.--M. + + + + +C. (Tale XII., Page 101.) + +The following account of the assassination of Alexander de' Medici is +taken from Sismondi's _Histoire des Republiques Italiennes du Moyen +Age_, Paris, 1826, vol. xvi. p. 95 et seq.:-- + +"But few months had elapsed since Alexander's marriage, and he had +employed them in his wonted debauchery, carrying depravity and dishonour +alternately into the convents and noblest abodes of Florence, when, on +January 6, 1537, he was assassinated by the man whom, of all men, he +the least mistrusted. This was his cousin, Lorenzino de' Medici.... +Lorenzino had already helped Alexander to seduce several women of noble +birth; and to facilitate his assignations had often lent him his house, +which adjoined the ducal residence in the Via Larga. He engaged to bring +the Duke the wife of Leonardo Ginori--sister to his own mother, but much +younger than she was. Alexander had long been struck with this lady's +beauty, but so far she had virtuously repulsed him. After supper, +however, on the day of the feast of the Epiphany, when the Carnival +begins, Lorenzino informed the Duke that if he would repair to his +house, unaccompanied and observing the greatest secrecy, he would find +Catherine Ginori there. Alexander accepted the assignation, dismissed +all his guards, rid himself of all those who wished to keep a watch upon +him, and entered Lorenzino's house without being perceived. He was tired +and wished to rest awhile, but before throwing himself on the bed he +unbuckled his sword, and Lorenzino, on taking it from him to hang it +at the head of the bedstead, wound the belt around the hilt in such a +fashion that the weapon could not be easily drawn from its scabbard. +After telling the Duke to rest whilst he went to fetch his aunt, he +went away, locking the door of the room behind him; but returned shortly +afterwards with a spadassin, nicknamed Scoronconcolo, whom he had +previously engaged, for the purpose, he said, of ridding him of a great +personage of the Court whose name he had prudently not given. In fact +Lorenzino had carried his design to the very point of execution without +taking a single person into his confidence. On returning into the room, +followed by Scoronconcolo, he called to the Duke: 'Are you asleep, my +lord?' and at the same moment transpierced him with a short sword which +he was carrying. Alexander, although mortally wounded, tried to resist +his murderer, whereupon Lorenzino, to prevent him from crying out, +thrust two of his fingers into his mouth, at the same time exclaiming: +'Be not afraid, my lord.' Alexander, it appears, bit his assailant's +fingers with all the strength of his jaws, and holding him in a tight +embrace, rolled with him about the bed, so that Scoronconcolo was unable +to strike the one without striking the other. He endeavoured to get at +the Duke from between Lorenzino's legs, but only succeeded in piercing +the mattress, till at last he remembered that he had a knife about him, +and drove it into the Duke's throat, turning it round and round until he +eventually killed him. (1) + + 1 Bened. Varchi, lib. xv.; Bern. Segni, 1. vii.; Filippo de + Nerli, 1. xii.; Gio. Batt. Adriani, 1. i.; Scipione + Ammirato, 1. xxxi.; Pauli Jovii. Hist. 1. xxxviii.; Istorie + di Marco Guazzo, fol. 159. + +"Lorenzino failed to reap the fruits of the crime, which he had planned +with so much skill and such profound secrecy. By the life he had led, he +had aroused the distrust of all honest folks, he had no friends to whom +he could apply for advice or help, he had no party behind him, he had +never been known to display that zeal for liberty which he subsequently +affected. Although he was the first of the Medici in the order of +succession, no one thought of him. For his own part, he only thought of +ensuring his safety. He locked the door of the room, taking the key away +with him, and having obtained an order for the city gates to be opened, +and for post-horses to be provided for him, under pretence that he had +just learned that his brother was ill, in the country, he started for +Bologna, whence he proceeded to Venice, accompanied by Scoronconcolo." + + + + +D. (Tale XVI., Page 183.) + +With reference to this story Brantome writes as follows in the Sixth +Discourse of his _Vies des Dames Galantes_:-- + +"In the hundred stories of Queen Margaret of Navarre we have a very fine +tale of that lady of Milan who, having one night given an assignation to +the late M. de Bonnivet, afterwards Admiral of France, posted her maids +with drawn swords on the stairs so that they might make a noise there; +which they did right well, in obedience to the orders of their mistress, +who for her part feigned great affright, saying that her brothers-in-law +must have remarked something amiss, that she herself was lost, and that +he, Bonnivet, ought to hide under the bed or behind the hangings. But M. +de Bonnivet, without evincing any fear, wrapped his cape round his arm, +and taking his sword replied: 'Well, where are these brave brothers who +want to frighten me, or do me harm? When they see me they will not even +dare to look at the point of my sword.' Then opening the door he rushed +out, and just as he was about to charge down the staircase he espied the +women making all this noise; and they, taking fright at sight of him, +began to cry out and confess everything. M. de Bonnivet, seeing that it +was nothing more serious, left them, bidding them betake themselves to +the devil; and then, returning into the room, he closed the door after +him and went to find his lady, who began to laugh and embrace him, and +confess to him that it was a trick devised by herself, assuring him that +if he had behaved as a poltroon, and had not thus displayed the valour +which he was said to possess, he should never have had her favours.... +She was one of the most beautiful women of Milan, and he had had a deal +of trouble to win her. + +"I knew a brave gentleman who, one day at Rome, was alone with a pretty +Roman lady--her husband being away--and she gave him a similar alarm, +causing one of her women to come in hastily to warn her that her husband +had returned from the country. The lady, feigning astonishment, begged +the gentleman to hide himself in a closet, as otherwise she would be +lost. 'No, no,' said the gentleman; 'I would not do that for all the +wealth in the world; if he comes I will kill him.' And as he seized upon +his sword the lady began to laugh and confess that she had contrived +this to try him so as to see how he would act, and if he would defend +her well should her husband seek to do her any harm. + +"I also knew a very beautiful lady who suddenly left a lover she +had, because she did not find him brave, and took another who did not +resemble him, but who was extremely feared and redoubted on account +of his sword, he being one of the best swordsmen that could then be +found."--Lalanne's _OEuvres de Brantome_, vol. ix. pp. 388-90. + + + + +E. (Tale XVII., Page 195.) + +Brantome, in the Thirtieth Discourse of his _Capitaines Etrangers_, +writes of Furstemberg as follows:-- + +"Count William von Furstemberg was accounted a good and valiant captain, +and would have been more highly esteemed had he not been deficient in +faith, over greedy and too much addicted to pillage, as he showed once +in France, when he passed along with his troops; for after his passage +there was nothing left. He served King Francis for the space of six or +seven years [not more than six.--Ed.] with some five companies always +numbering from six to seven thousand men; however, after this long term +of services, or rather ravages and pillage, he was suspected of having +designs against the King's person, as I have elsewhere related, and +those who would learn more of the matter will find the story in +the hundred tales of Queen Margaret of Navarre, wherein the valour, +generosity and magnanimity of that great King are clearly shown. The +other, in great fear, left his service and entered that of the Emperor +(Charles V.). If he had not been related to Madame la Regente (Louise +of Savoy), through the House of Saxony, whence sprang that of Savoy, +he would possibly have met with the fate he merited, had the King +been minded to it; but on this occasion the King wished to show his +magnanimity rather than have him put to death by the officers of +justice. Again the King pardoned him when, on the arrival of the Emperor +at St. Dizier in Champagne, he was taken, sounding the river Marne, (2) +which he had on other occasions well reconnoitred, in coming to or on +leaving France with his troops. He was on this occasion merely sent to +the Bastille, and got quit for a ransom of 30,000 crowns. Some great +captains said and opined that he ought not to have been thus treated as +a prisoner of war but as a real vile spy, for he had professedly acted +as such; and they said, moreover, that he got off too cheaply at such +a ransom, which did not represent the smallest of the larcenies that he +had perpetrated in France."--Lalanne's _OEuvres de Brantome_, vol. i. +pp. 349-50. + +Prior to this affair Furstemberg apparently showed some regret for his +earlier schemes against Francis I., for Queen Margaret, writing to her +brother in 1536, remarked:-- + +"Count William has asked me to write and tell you that there is a great +difference between the shameful purgatory of Italy and the glorious +paradise of this camp, (3) and he spoke to me of his past misdeeds, +which I would rather he should speak of to you," &c.--Genin's _Lettres +de Marguerite_, p. 321. + + 2 This occurred in September 1544. From an unpublished MS. + in the public library at Rheims it appears that Furstemberg + was wearing a disguise when captured. The Emperor had sent + him forward expressly to sound the river. Another + unpublished MS. at the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris (_anc. + fol._ 8561. f. 22), gives some particulars of his operations + about this time.--Ed. + + 3 That of Avignon. See vol. i. p. liv.--Ed. + +In a poetic epistle sent by Margaret to Francis I. in January 1543, to +celebrate the New Year, there is an allusion to a "Conte Guillaume," +whom Messrs. de Lincy and Montaiglon conjecture to be Furstemberg, +though other commentators think that the Queen refers to William Poyet, +the dishonest chancellor, who was sent to the Bastille in 1542 for +peculation. We share, however, the opinion of Messrs. de Lincy and +Montaiglon, as in various contemporary MSS. which we have referred to, +we have frequently found Furstemberg alluded to as "Conte" and +"Comte Guillaume," without any mention of his surname. The passage in +Margaret's epistle alluded to above may be thus rendered in prose:-- + +"God, fighting for the King in every spot, curses his enemies and brings +them to shame and ruin, so that none hold them of account; as witness +'Compte ["Conte" in the MS.] Guillaume,' who, in serving the King and +the kingdom, became rich, feared and highly esteemed. Now, however, a +fugitive, poor and contemned, he may well meditate as to whence came his +honours, who it was that maintained him wealthy, happy and feared; +and thus it is that all the King's enemies are cursed by God in +Paradise."--_Les Marguerites de la Marguerite_, 1873, vol. ii. p. 203. + +Apropos of Furstemberg the following entry occurs in M. de Laborde's +_Comptes des Batiments du Roi_ (vol. ii. p. 229):-- + +"Paid to Francis de Cadenet, doctor to Count William of Furstemberg, +as a gift and favour for his services, 30 crowns, value 67 livres 10 +sols."--L., M. and Ed. + + +END OF VOL. II. + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Tales Of The Heptameron, Vol. II. +(of V.), by Margaret, Queen Of Navarre + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALES OF THE HEPTAMERON *** + +***** This file should be named 17702.txt or 17702.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/7/7/0/17702/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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