The Memoirs of Marguerite de Valois, vol 2 | Page 7

the King discoursed with me on the
subject without exhibiting the smallest resentment. Indeed, he was well
pleased now that he had prevented me from going to the King my
husband, for whom he had conceived the greatest animosity.
He ordered a courier to be immediately despatched to Don John of
Austria,--who commanded for the King of Spain in Flanders,--to obtain
from him the necessary passports for a free passage in the countries
under his command, as I should be obliged to cross a part of Flanders
to reach Spa, which is in the bishopric of Liege.
All matters being thus arranged, we separated in a few days after this
interview. The short time my brother and I remained together was
employed by him in giving me instructions for the commission I had
undertaken to execute for him in Flanders. The King and the Queen my
mother set out for Poitiers, to be near the army of M. de Mayenne, then
besieging Brouage, which place being reduced, it was intended to
march into Gascony and attack the King my husband.
My brother had the command of another army, ordered to besiege
Issoire and some other towns, which he soon after took.
For my part, I set out on my journey to Flanders accompanied by the
Princesse de Roche-sur-Yon, Madame de Tournon, the lady of my
bedchamber, Madame de Mouy of Picardy, Madame de Chastelaine,
De Millon, Mademoiselle d'Atric, Mademoiselle de Tournon, and
seven or eight other young ladies. My male attendants were the
Cardinal de Lenoncourt, the Bishop of Langres, and M. de Mouy,
Seigneur de Picardy, at present father-in-law to the brother of Queen
Louise, called the Comte de Chalingy, with my principal steward of the

household, my chief esquires, and the other gentlemen of my
establishment.

LETTER XIV.
Description of Queen Marguerite's Equipage.--Her Journey to Liege
Described.--She Enters with Success upon Her Mission.-- Striking
Instance of Maternal Duty and Affection in a Great Lady.-- Disasters
near the Close of the Journey.
The cavalcade that attended me excited great curiosity as it passed
through the several towns in the course of my journey, and reflected no
small degree of credit on France, as it was splendidly set out, and made
a handsome appearance. I travelled in a litter raised with pillars. The
lining of it was Spanish velvet, of a crimson colour, embroidered in
various devices with gold and different coloured silk thread.
The windows were of glass, painted in devices. The lining and
windows had, in the whole, forty devices, all different and alluding to
the sun and its effects. Each device had its motto, either in the Spanish
or Italian language. My litter was followed by two others; in the one
was the Princesse de Roche-sur-Yon, and in the other Madame de
Tournon, my lady of the bedchamber. After them followed ten maids of
honour, on horseback, with their governess; and, last of all, six coaches
and chariots, with the rest of the ladies and all our female attendants.
I took the road of Picardy, the towns in which province had received
the King's orders to pay me all due honours. Being arrived at Le Catelet,
a strong place, about three leagues distant from the frontier of the
Cambresis, the Bishop of Cambray (an ecclesiastical State
acknowledging the King of Spain only as a guarantee) sent a gentleman
to inquire of me at what hour I should leave the place, as he intended to
meet me on the borders of his territory.
Accordingly I found him there, attended by a number of his people,
who appeared to be true Flemings, and to have all the rusticity and
unpolished manners of their country. The Bishop was of the House of
Barlemont, one of the principal families in Flanders. All of this house
have shown themselves Spaniards at heart, and at that time were firmly
attached to Don John. The Bishop received me with great politeness
and not a little of the Spanish ceremony.
Although the city of Cambray is not so well built as some of our towns

in France, I thought it, notwithstanding, far more pleasant than many of
these, as the streets and squares are larger and better disposed. The
churches are grand and highly ornamented, which is, indeed, common
to France; but what I admired, above all, was the citadel, which is the
finest and best constructed in Christendom.
The Spaniards experienced it to be strong whilst my brother had it in
his possession. The governor of the citadel at this time was a worthy
gentleman named M. d'Ainsi, who was, in every respect, a polite and
well- accomplished man, having the carriage and behaviour of one of
our most perfect courtiers, very different from the rude incivility which
appears to be the characteristic of a