to grant his
request, and told him that she would with this intent go into her room,
which was on a garret floor, where she knew there was nobody. And as
soon as he should see that she was gone he was to follow her without
fail, for he would find her ready to give proof of the good-will that
she bore him.

The gentleman, believing what she said, was exceedingly well pleased,
and began to amuse himself with the other ladies until he should see
her gone, and might quickly follow her. But she, who lacked naught of
woman's craftiness, betook herself to my Lady Margaret, daughter of the
King, and to the Duchess of Montpensier, (2) to whom she said--

"I will if you are willing, show you the fairest diversion you have ever
seen."

2 The former is Margaret of France, Duchess of Savoy and
Berry. Born in June 1523, she died in September 1574.--
Queen Margaret was her godmother. When only three years old,
she was promised in marriage to Louis of Savoy, eldest son
of Duke Charles III., and he dying, she espoused his younger
brother, Emmanuel Philibert, in July 1549. Graceful and
pretty as a child (see _ante_, vol. i. p. xlviii.), she
became, thanks to the instruction of the famous Michael de
l' Hopital, one of the most accomplished women of her time,
and Brantome devotes an article to her in his _Dames
Illustres_ (Lalanne, v. viii. pp. 328-37). See also Hilarion
de Coste's _Eloges et Vies des Reines, Princesses, &c_.,
Paris, 1647, vol. ii. p. 278.

The Duchess of Montpensier, also referred to above, is
Jacqueline de Longwick (now Longwy), Countess of Bar-sur-
Seine, daughter of J. Ch. de Longwick, Lord of Givry, and of
Jane, _batarde_ of Angouleme. In 1538 Jacqueline was
married to Louis II. de Bourbon, Duke of Montpensier. She
gained great influence at the French Court, both under
Francis I. and afterwards, and De Thou says of her that she
was possessed of great wit and wisdom, far superior to the
century in which she lived. She died in August 1561, and was
the mother of Francis I., Duke of Montpensier, sometimes
called the Dauphin of Auvergne, who fought at Jarnac,
Moncontour, Arques, and Ivry, against Henry of Navarre.--L.,
B. J. and Ed.

They, being by no means enamoured of melancholy, begged that she would
tell them what it was.

"You know such a one," she replied, "as worthy a gentlema