umoured amongst the Court, then at Paris, that the Princess was
threatened with death, her virtuous mother, Margaret, at about four
o'clock in the evening, ordered her litter to be brought, saying that
she would go and see her daughter, and that all her people should
prepare to start. There was nothing ready, the officials and servants
were absent, and scattered about the town of Paris and the neighbouring
villages. It was already dark, for this was during the shortest days
of the year, the weather too was adverse on account of the rain, and
neither her litter nor her baggage mules were at hand. Seeing this, the
courageous Queen borrowed the litter of Madame Margaret, her niece,(1)
got in it, and contenting herself with scant escort, started from Paris
and went as far as Bourg-la-Reine.

1 The daughter of Francis I., subsequently Duchess of Savoy.

"When they had arrived there she did not alight at her lodgings, but
went straight to the church, which she at once entered, saying to
those about her, that her heart told her I know not what concerning her
daughter's fate, and affectionately begging them all to withdraw and
leave her alone for an hour in the church. All obeyed and in great
uneasiness waited for their mistress at the church door; the Senechale
de Poitou,(1) a very faithful lady, and very solicitous about Margaret,
alone entering with her. Margaret having gone in, kneels down before
the image of Jesus crucified, prays to God from the depths of her heart,
sighs, weeps, confesses all her transgressions, and laying to herself
alone the cause of her daughter's illness, humbly asks pardon, and begs
that the sufferer's restoration to health may be granted. After this
act of faith Margaret felt relieved, and she had scarcely arrived at
her lodgings when the Bishop of Mende came to announce to her that her
daughter was in the way of recovery." (2)

1 Brantome's grandmother.

2 Oraison funebre, &c, p. 38.

When Jane was barely twelve years old Charles V. asked her in marriage
for his son Philip, but Francis, who was by no means anxious to see the
Spaniards established on the northern side of the Pyrenees, preferred
that the girl should marry William III., Duke of Cleves. It has
frequently been asserted that Francis on this occasion exercised
compulsion not only upon his niece, but also upon the King and Queen of
Navarre, who vainly protested against this abuse of power. The truth
is, that Margaret