Library of the Worlds Best Literature, Ancient and Modern, Vol. 6 | Page 4

daughters,
Elizabeth of Spain and Marguerite de Valois; Diana of Poitiers, the
woman of eternal youth and beauty; Jeanne d'Albret, the mother of
Henry IV.; Louise de Vaudemont; the Duchesse d'Étampes; Marie
Touchet; and all their satellites,--as they enjoyed their lives.
Very valuable are the data regarding Mary Stuart's departure from
France in 1561. Brantôme was one of her suite, and describes her grief
when the shores of France faded away, and her arrival in Scotland,

where on the first night she was serenaded by Psalm-tunes with a most
villainous accompaniment of Scotch music. "Hé! quelle musique!" he
exclaims, "et quel repos pour la nuit!"
But of all the gay ladies Brantôme loves to dwell upon, his favorites are
the two Marguerites: Marguerite of Angoulême, Queen of Navarre, the
sister of Francis I., and Marguerite, daughter of Catherine de' Medici
and wife of Henry IV. Of the latter, called familiarly "La Reine
Margot," he is always writing. "To speak of the beauty of this rare
princess," he says, "I think that all that are, or will be, or have ever been
near her are ugly."
Brantôme has been a puzzle to many critics, who cannot explain his
"contradictions." He had none. He extolled wicked and immoral
characters because he recognized only two merits,--aristocratic birth
and hatred of the Huguenots. He is well described by M. de Barante,
who says:--"Brantôme expresses the entire character of his country and
of his profession. Careless of the difference between good and evil; a
courtier who has no idea that anything can be blameworthy in the great,
but who sees and narrates their vices and their crimes all the more
frankly in that he is not very sure whether what he tells be good or bad;
as indifferent to the honor of women as he is to the morality of men;
relating scandalous things with no consciousness that they are such,
and almost leading his reader into accepting them as the simplest things
in the world, so little importance does he attach to them; terming Louis
XI., who poisoned his brother, the good King Louis, calling women
whose adventures could hardly have been written by any pen save his
own, honnêtes dames."
Brantôme must therefore not be regarded as a chronicler who revels in
scandals, although his pages reek with them; but as the true mirror of
the Valois court and the Valois period.
* * * * *
THE DANCING OF ROYALTY
From 'Lives of Notable Women'

Ah! how the times have changed since I saw them together in the
ball-room, expressing the very spirit of the dance! The King always
opened the grand ball by leading out his sister, and each equaled the
other in majesty and grace. I have often seen them dancing the Pavane
d'Espagne, which must be performed with the utmost majesty and grace.
The eyes of the entire court were riveted upon them, ravished by this
lovely scene; for the measures were so well danced, the steps so
intelligently placed, the sudden pauses timed so accurately and making
so elegant an effect, that one did not know what to admire most,--the
beautiful manner of moving, or the majesty of the halts, now
expressing excessive gayety, now a beautiful and haughty disdain. Who
could dance with such elegance and grace as the royal brother and
sister? None, I believe; and I have watched the King dancing with the
Queen of Spain and the Queen of Scotland, each of whom was an
excellent dancer.
I have seen them dance the 'Pazzemezzo d'Italie,' walking gravely
through the measures, and directing their steps with so graceful and
solemn a manner that no other prince nor lady could approach them in
dignity. This Queen took great pleasure in performing these grave
dances; for she preferred to exhibit dignified grace rather than to
express the gayety of the Branle, the Volta, and the Courante. Although
she acquired them quickly, she did not think them worthy of her
majesty.
I always enjoyed seeing her dance the Branle de la Torche, or du
Flambeau. Once, returning from the nuptials of the daughter of the
King of Poland, I saw her dance this kind of a Branle at Lyons before
the assembled guests from Savoy, Piedmont, Italy, and other places;
and every one said he had never seen any sight more captivating than
this lovely lady moving with grace of motion and majestic mien, all
agreeing that she had no need of the flaming torch which she held in
her hand; for the flashing light from her brilliant eyes was sufficient to
illuminate the set, and to pierce the dark veil of Night.
* * * * *
THE SHADOW OF A TOMB

From 'Lives of Courtly Women'
Once I had an elder brother who was called Captain Bourdeille, one of