Jean Lemaire de Belges was born about 1473; after the death of Louis XII. he attached himself to Margaret's Court and became her historian. He published a curious work called Les illustrations de Gaule et singularitez de Troye, avec la Couronne Margaritique et plusieurs autres œuvres. In the Couronne Margaritique, Margaret figures as the heroine. Jean Lemaire also published the Triomphe de l'Amant vert, which is the history of a green parrot given by Sigismond, Archduke of Austria, to Margaret's mother, Mary of Burgundy, after whose death it passed into Margaret's possession. She was naturally very fond of the bird, and when it died composed the following epitaph:—
'Souz ce tumbel, qui est un dur conclave,
Git l'amant verd, et le très noble esclave,
Dont le noble cœur de vraye amour, pure, yvre,
Ne peut souffrir perdre sa dame et vivre.'
The parrot died whilst Margaret was on a visit to her father in Germany. In Lemaire's poem 'L'amant vert' laments his beloved mistress's absence, he stops talking, and contemplates 'putting an end to his short days.'
'... Et comment pourroit un cœur si gros,
En corps si faible et si petit enclos,
Passer le jour que de moy te dépars?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .