Lives of Fair and Gallant Ladies. Vol 2.Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille
History
Lives of Fair and Gallant Ladies. Vol 2.
Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille
Erotic literature
Bertrand du Guesclin[14] having wedded his wife Madame Tiphaine, did
set himself all to pleasure her and so did neglect the management of
the War, he who had been so forward therein afore, and had won him
such praise and glory. But she did upbraid him with this remonstrance,
how that before their marriage folk did speak of naught but him and
his gallant deeds, but henceforth she might well be reproached for
the discontinuance of her husband’s fair deeds and good repute. This
she said was a very great disgrace to her and him, that he had now
grown such a stay-at-home; and did never cease her chiding, till she
had roused in him his erstwhile spirit, and sent him back to the wars,
where he did even doughtier deeds than aforetime.
Thus do we see how this honourable lady did not love so much her
night’s pleasures as she did value the honour of her husband. And of
a surety our wives themselves, though they do find us near by their
side, yet an if we be not brave and valiant, will never really love
us nor keep us by them of good and willing heart; whereas when we be
returned from the wars and have done some fine and noble exploit, then
they do verily and indeed love us and embrace of right good will, and
themselves find the enjoyment most precious.
The fourth daughter of the Comte de Provence,[15*] father-in-law of
St. Louis, and herself wife to Charles, Count of Anjou, brother of the
said King, being sore vexed, high-spirited and ambitious Princess as
she was, at being but plain Countess of Anjou and Provence, and because
she alone of her three sisters, of whom two were Queens and the third
Empress, did bear no better title than that my Lady and Countess, did
never cease till she had prayed, beseeched and importuned her husband
to conquer and get some Kingdom for himself. And they did contrive
so well as that they were chose of Pope Urban to be King and Queen
of the Two Sicilies; and they did away, the twain of them, to Rome
with thirty galleys to be crowned by his Holiness, with all state and
splendour, King and Queen of Jerusalem and Naples, which dominion he
did win afterward, no less by his victorious arms than by the aid his
wife afforded him, selling all her rings and jewels for to provide the
expenses of the war. So thereafter did they twain reign long and not
unpeaceably in the fine kingdoms they had gotten.
Long years after, one of their grand-daughters, issue of them and
theirs, Ysabeau de Lorraine to wit,[16*] without help of her husband
René, did carry out a like emprise. For while her husband was prisoner
in the hands of Charles, Duke of Burgundy, she being a Princess of a
wise prudence and high heart and courage, the Kingdom of Sicily and
Naples having meantime fallen to them in due succession, did assemble
an army of thirty thousand men. This she did lead forth in person, and
so conquer all the Kingdom and take possession of Naples.
3.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account