THE TALES OF THE HEPTAMERON OF Margaret, Queen of Navarre _Newly Translated into English from the Authentic Text_ OF M. LE ROUX DE LINCY WITH AN ESSAY UPON THE HEPTAMERON BY GEORGE SAINTSBURY, M.A. Also the Original Seventy-three Full Page Engravings Designed by S. FREUDENBERG And One Hundred and Fifty Head and Tail Pieces By DUNKER _IN FIVE VOLUMES_ VOLUME THE FIRST LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY OF ENGLISH BIBLIOPHILISTS MDCCCXCIV [Illustration: Frontispiece] [Margaret, Queen of Navarre, from a crayon drawing by Clouet, preserved at the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris] [Illustration: Titlepage] CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. Preface Memoir of Margaret of Angoulême Essay on the Heptameron Dedications and Preface to the Original Editions of the Heptameron The Prologue FIRST DAY. Tale I. The pitiful history of a Proctor of Alençon, named St. Aignan, and of his wife, who caused her husband to assassinate her lover, the son of the Lieutenant-General II. The fate of the wife of a muleteer of Amboise, who suffered herself to be killed by her servant rather than sacrifice her chastity III. The revenge taken by the Queen of Naples, wife to King Alfonso, for her husband’s infidelity with a gentleman’s wife IV. The ill success of a Flemish gentleman who was unable to obtain, either by persuasion or force, the love of a great Princess V. How a boatwoman of Coulon, near Nyort, contrived to escape from the vicious designs of two Grey Friars Tale VI. How the wife of an old valet of the Duke of Alençon’s succeeded in saving her lover from her husband, who was blind of one eye VII. The craft of a Parisian merchant, who saved the reputation of the daughter by offering violence to the mother Appendix to the First Day ENGRAVINGS To face page Queen Margaret of Navarre. Frontispiece. Prologue: The Story-tellers in the Meadow near The Gave. By S. Freudenberg FIRST DAY. Tale I. Du Mesnil learns his Mistress’s Infidelity from her Maid. By S. Freudenberg II. The Muleteer’s Servant attacking his Mistress. By S. Freudenberg III. The King Joking upon the Stag’s Head being A fitting Decoration. By S. Freudenberg IV. The Princess’s Lady of Honour hurrying to her Mistress’s Assistance. By S. Freudenberg V. The Boatwoman of Coulon outwitting the Friars. By S. Freudenberg VI. The Wife’s Ruse to secure the Escape of her Lover. By S. Freudenberg VII. The Merchant transferring his Caresses from the Daughter to the Mother. By S. Freudenberg PREFACE.