better than herself, came and told her mistress that she had
seen her lover ir a dream; he had appeared to her clad in white, and had
bidden her farewell, telling her that he was going to Paradise with his
Captain. And when the damsel heard that her dream had come true, she
made such lamentation that her mistress had enough to do to comfort her.
(6)

6 The Queen of Navarre was a firm believer in the truth and
premonitory character of dreams, and according to her
biographers she, herself, had several singular ones, two of
which are referred to in the Memoir prefixed to the present
work (vol. i. pp. lxxxiii. and Ixxxvii.). In some of her
letters, moreover, she relates that Francis I., when under
the walls of Pavia, on three successive nights beheld his
little daughter Charlotte (then dying at Lyons) appear to
him in a dream, and on each occasion repeat the words,
"Farewell, my King, I am going to Paradise."--Ed.

A short time afterwards the Court journeyed into Normandy, to which
province the Captain had belonged. His wife was not remiss in coming to
pay homage to the Lady-Regent, and in order that she might be presented
to her, she had recourse to the same lady whom her husband had so dearly
loved.

And while they were waiting in a church for the appointed hour, she
began bewailing and praising her husband, saying among other things to
the lady--

"Alas, madam! my misfortune is the greatest that ever befell a woman,
for just when he was loving me more than he had ever done, God took him
from me."

So saying, and with many tears, she showed the ring which she wore on
her finger as a token of her husband's perfect love, whereat the other
lady, finding that her deception had resulted in such a happy issue,
was, despite her sorrow for the Captain's death, so moved to laughter,
that she would not present the widow to the Regent, but committed her to
the charge of another lady, and withdrew into a side chapel, where she
satisfied her inclination to laugh.

"I think, ladies, that those who receive such gifts ought to seek to use
them to as good a purpose as did this worthy lady. They would find that
benefactions bring joy to those who bestow them. And we must not charge
this lady with deceit, but esteem her good sense which turned to good
that which in itself was worthless."

"Do you mean to say," said Nomerfide, "that a fine diamond, costing two
hundred crowns, is wo