Disant, je ne veis oncques la pareille.
Chef d'œuvre tres parfaict,
Mygnonement bien faict,
Fleur de riche vallue,
Où rien n'est imparfaict,
Prenez en gré mon faict;
Molinet vous salue.
Jean Molinet,
Bibliothécaire et Aumônier de
Marguerite d'Autriche.
Margaret was lucky in her councillors. She was seconded by such clever and devoted ministers as Burgo, Mélun, Viry, Le Vaux, Caulies, Mercurin de Gattinare, Ferry de Carondelet, and Albert Pio. One of the ablest amongst them was Mercurin de Gattinare, who came of a noble family of Verceil, and was one of the greatest jurisconsuls of his time. He had been a councillor of the late Duke of Savoy's, and afterwards president of the Parliament of Franche Comté. In 1508 Maximilian sent him to Louis XII.'s Court to negotiate on the subject of the Treaty of Cambray.
On February 3rd, 1507, Margaret wrote from Malines to James d'Albion, King Ferdinand's ambassador in France, that 'she was very sorry that the peace between the King of France and the King of the Romans was not concluded. If the King of France should attack the estates of Prince Charles,' she says, 'she would do her best to defend them, and she hopes that the King of England and King Ferdinand would assist her. She begs that this may be communicated to King Ferdinand.'