Je prie à Dieu qu'il me doint tempérance,
Mestier en ay: je le prens sur ma foi;
Car mon seul bien est souvent près de moy,
Mais pour les gens fault faire contenance!
Pourquoy coucher seulette et à part moy,
Qu'il me faudra user de pacience!
Las! c'est pour moi trop grande pénitence;
Certes ouy, et plus quant ne le voy!'
These verses, and many others, were written at Bourg, or at the castle of Pont d'Ain. This castle, built towards the end of the tenth century by the Sires de Coligny, Lords of Revermont, had passed through marriage to the Dauphins du Viennois in 1225, and in 1285 to the Duke of Burgundy. In 1289 this duke exchanged it, as well as the lordship of Revermont, with Amé IV., Count of Savoy, who was Seigneur of Bresse in right of his wife, Sybille de Baugé. The buildings having been much damaged in the wars, Amé's son, Aimon, rebuilt them. The last warlike episode in the history of the castle occurred in 1325 when Edward, Count of Savoy, came to take refuge in the fortress after his defeat near Varey. The pleasant situation of the castle at the extremity of the chain of Revermont, its proximity to France, and equable climate made it the favourite home of the Dukes of Savoy. Below in the valley, which extends to the Rhone, the waters of the river Ain join those of the Suran. To the south and east are the mountain ranges near Bas Bugey, with wooded slopes and prosperous villages, to the north and west the undulating plain of Bresse, crowned by forests. The Princesses of Savoy loved this spot. Amedeo VIII. lived here for a long time with his wife Yolande of France. Philibert and his sister Louise (the mother of Francis I.) were born here, and here their mother, Margaret of Bourbon, came to spend her last days. In this peaceful spot Margaret passed the first years of her mourning, attached to Bresse by memories of her love and sorrow.