t
mentioning her son's part in it), and besought him to help her save her
honour. This he did, and, a few days before the time when she expected
to be delivered, he begged her to try a change of air and remove to his
house, where she would recover her health more quickly than at home.
Thither she went with but a very small following, and found there a
midwife who had been summoned as for her brother's wife, and who one
night, without recognising her, delivered her of a fine little girl. The
gentleman gave the child to a nurse, and caused it to be cared for as
his own.

After continuing there for a month, the lady returned in sound health
to her own house, where she lived more austerely than ever in fasts and
disciplines. But when her son was grown up, he sent to beg his mother's
permission to return home, as there was at that time no war in Italy.
She, fearing lest she should fall again into the same misfortune, would
not at first allow him, but he urged her so earnestly that at last she
could find no reason for refusing him. However, she instructed him that
he was not to appear before her until he was married to a woman whom he
dearly loved; but to whose fortune he need give no heed, for it would
suffice if she were of gentle birth.

Meanwhile her bastard brother, finding that the daughter left in his
charge had grown to be a tall maiden of perfect beauty, resolved to
place her in some distant household where she would not be known, and
by the mother's advice she was given to Catherine, Queen of Navarre. (4)
The maiden thus came to the age of twelve or thirteen years, and was so
beautiful and virtuous that the Queen of Navarre had great friendship
for her, and much desired to marry her to one of wealth and station.
Being poor, however, she found no husband, though she had lovers enough
and to spare.

4 This is Catherine, daughter of Gaston and sister of
Francis Phoebus de Foix. On her brother's death, in 1483,
she became Queen of Navarre, Duchess of Nemours and Countess
of Foix and Bigorre, and in the following year espoused
John, eldest son of Alan, Sire d'Albret. Catherine at this
time was fourteen years old, and her husband, who by the
marriage became King of Navarre, was only one year her
senior. Their title to the crown was disputed by a dozen
pretenders, for several years they exercised but a
precarious authority, and eventually, in July 1512,
Ferdinand