The book of the ladies: Illustrious Dames: The Reign and Amours of the Bourbon RégimeBrantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille
History
The book of the ladies: Illustrious Dames: The Reign and Amours of the Bourbon Régime
Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille
France -- Biography; France -- Court and courtiers; Queens; Women -- Biography
There are other conjectures so great that silence must be kept about
them; but very true it is that this princess was the best of her time
and loved by every one.
So long as she lived in Spain never did she forget the affection she
bore to France, and in that was not like Germaine de Foix, second wife
of King Ferdinand, who when she saw herself raised to such high rank
became so haughty that she made no account of her own country, and
disdained it so much that, when Louis XII., her uncle, and Ferdinand
came to Savonne, she, being with her husband, held herself so high that
never would she notice a Frenchman, not even her brother Gaston de Foix,
Duc de Nemours, neither would she deign to speak or look at the greatest
persons of France who were present; for which she was much ridiculed.
But after the death of her husband she suffered for this, having fallen
from her high estate and being held in no great account, whereat she
was miserable. They say there are none so vainglorious as persons of low
estate who rise to grandeur; not that I mean to say that princess was of
low estate, being of the house of Foix, a very illustrious and great
house; but from simple daughter of a count to be queen of so great a
kingdom was a rise which gave occasion to feel much glory, but not to
forget herself or abuse her station towards a King of France, her uncle,
and her nearest relations and others of the land of her birth. In this
she showed she lacked a great mind; or else that she was foolishly
vainglorious. For surely there is a difference between the house of Foix
and the house of France; not that I mean to say the house of Foix is not
great and very noble, but the house of France--hey!
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account