ague, in
1545. The above story was evidently written subsequent to
that date, as Queen Margaret refers to him as "the late Duke
of Orleans."--L.

He had married a virtuous and honourable woman, with whom he lived
in great peace and quietness. He was very fearful of displeasing her,
whilst she, on her part, sought in all things to obey him. But, for all
the affection that he bore her, he was so charitably inclined that he
would often give to his female neighbours that which by right belonged
to his wife, though this he did as secretly as he was able.

There was in their house a very plump serving-maid with whom the
upholsterer fell in love. Nevertheless, dreading lest his wife should
know this, he often made show of scolding and rebuking her, saying that
she was the laziest wench he had ever known, though this was no wonder,
seeing that her mistress never beat her. And thus it came to pass that
one day, while they were speaking about giving the Innocents, (2) the
upholsterer said to his wife--

"It were a charity to give them to that lazy wench of yours, but it
should not be with your hand, for it is too feeble, and in like way your
heart is too pitiful for such a task. If, however, I were to make use of
mine, she would serve us better than she now does."

2 Prior to the Reformation it was the custom, not only in
France but throughout Europe, to whip children on the
morning of Innocents' Day (December 28), in order, says
Gregory in his treatise on the _Boy Bishop_, "that the
memory of Herod's murder of the Innocents might stick the
closer." This custom (concerning which see Haspinian, _De
Orig. Festor, Christianor_. fol. 160) subsequently
degenerated into a jocular usage, so far as the children
were concerned, and town-gallants and country-swains
commonly sought to surprise young women in bed, and make
them play the part of the Innocents, more frequently than
otherwise to the loss of their virtue. A story is told of a
French nobleman who in taking leave of some ladies to join a
hunting party, heard one of them whisper, "We shall sleep at
our ease, and pass the Innocents without receiving them."
This put the nobleman, a certain Seigneur du Rivau, on his
mettle. "He kept his appointment," we are told, "galloped
back twenty leagues at night, arrived at the lady's house at
dawn on Innocents' Day, surprised her