2 The young prince here mentioned is Francis I., who at this period was between twenty-five and thirty years old.  The froward wife is Claude of France (daughter of Louis XII. and Anne of Brittany), whom Francis married in 1514, and who died of consumption at Blois ten years later, while the King was on his way to conquer Milan. (See the Memoir of Margaret, pp. xxvi. and xxxv.)—­Ed.

3 According to Brantome, the Lady of Flanders, the young Prince’s sister, was Queen Margaret herself, and the gentleman who paid court to her was William Gouffier, Lord of Bonnivet, of Crevecoeur, Thois, and Querdes, and also a favourite of Francis I., with whom he was brought up, and by whom he was employed in all the great enterprises of the time.  Bonnivet became Admiral of France in 1517, and two years later he was created governor of Dauphine, and guardian of the Dauphin’s person.  He negotiated the peace and alliance with Henry VIII., and arranged all the preliminaries of the interview known as the Field of the Cloth of Gold (1520).  In 1521, says Anselme in his Histoire Genealogique, Bonnivet became governor of Guienne, commanded the army sent to Navarre, and captured Fontarabia.  In 1524 he was despatched to Italy as lieutenant-general, and besieged Milan, but was repeatedly repulsed, and finally fell back on the Ticino.  He was killed at Pavia (February 24, 1525), and was largely responsible for that disastrous defeat, having urged Francis I. to give battle, contrary to the advice of the more experienced captains.  Bonnivet, as mentioned by Queen Margaret in this story, had the reputation of being one of the handsomest men of his time.—­ L.

He made this offer, but the answer that he received from her was contrary to his desires.  However, although her reply was such as beseemed a Princess and a woman of true virtue, she readily pardoned his hardihood for the sake of his comeliness and breeding, and let him know that she bore him no ill-will for what he had said.  But she charged him never to speak to her after that fashion again; and this he promised, that he might not lose the pleasure and honour of her conversation.  Nevertheless, as time went on, his love so increased that he forgot the promise he had made.  He did not, however, risk further trial of words, for he had learned by experience, and much against his will, what virtuous replies she was able to make.  But he reflected that if he could take her somewhere at a disadvantage, she, being a widow, young, lusty, and of a lively humour, would perchance take pity on him and on herself.

To compass his ends, he told his master that excellent hunting was to be had in the neighbourhood of his house, and that if it pleased him to repair thither and hunt three or four stags in the month of May, he could have no finer sport.  The Lord granted the gentleman’s request, as much for the affection he bore him as for the pleasure of the chase, and repaired to his house, which was as handsome and as fairly ordered as that of the richest gentleman in the land.