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
Chastellard was a gentleman of Dauphiné, of good family and condition,
for he was great-nephew on his mother’s side of that brave M. de Bayard,
whom they say he resembled in figure, which in him was medium, very
beautiful and slender, as they say M. de Bayard had also. He was very
adroit at arms, and inclined in all ways to honourable exercises, such
as firing at a mark, playing at tennis, leaping, and dancing. In short,
he was a most accomplished gentleman; and as for his soul, it was also
very noble; he spoke well, and wrote of the best, even in rhyme, as well
as any gentleman in France, using a most sweet and lovely poesy, like a
knight.
He followed M. d’Amville, so-called then, now M. le Connétable; but when
we were with M. le Grand Prieur, of the house of Lorraine, who conducted
the queen [to Scotland] the said Chastellard was with us, and, in this
company became known to the queen for his charming actions, above all
for his rhymes; among which he made some to please her in translation
from Italian (which he spoke and knew well), beginning, _Che giova
posseder città e regni_; which is a very well made sonnet, the substance
of which is as follows: “What serves her to possess so many kingdoms,
cities, towns, and provinces, to command so many peoples, and be
respected, feared, admired of all, if still to sleep a widow, lone and
cold as ice?”
He made also other rhymes, most beautiful, which I have seen written by
his hand, for they never were imprinted, that I know.
The queen, therefore, who loved letters, and principally poems, for
sometimes she made dainty ones herself, was pleased in seeing those of
Chastellard, and even made response, and, for that reason, gave him good
cheer and entertained him often. But he, in secrecy, was kindled by a
flame too high, the which its object could not hinder, for who can
shield herself from love? In times gone by the most chaste goddesses and
dames were loved, and still are loved; indeed we love their marble
statues; but for that no lady has been blamed unless she yielded to it.
Therefore, kindle who will these sacred fires!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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