CHAPTER V
1503–1514
Story of Anne de Graville—Illness of Claude—Court of Anne de Bretagne—Italian war—Marriage of Marguérite d’Angoulême—Dress and customs at Court—Birth of Renée de France—The Prince de Chalais—The Queen ill—Birth and death of a son—League of Cambrai—Sea-fight—Death of Queen.
Though much vexed at her daughter’s engagement the Queen still hoped something might happen to prevent the marriage; meanwhile she formed the household of the Princess, and amongst others she placed in it Anne de Graville, one of her demoiselles d’honneur, a sister of whom had been in that of the King’s first wife. To Anne, as to some of her companions, is attached a romance, which, after four hundred years, clings to her memory, and like the scent of rose leaves and lavender in some old-fashioned country house, the refrain of an ancient ballad or the quaint phrases traced in faded ink on some letter yellow with age coming to us from a long-vanished generation, seems to give us a momentary glimpse into the life of those far-off days.
{1503}
Louis de Malet, Admiral de Graville, bore one of the oldest names in France, and had been the favourite of three kings. That he was a man of great capacity and wisdom is proved by his correspondence, now existing in the Bibliothèque Impériale. He was also extremely cultivated. He gave a bell to Rouen Cathedral, built the portal of Sens and a church near Paris. He collected a valuable library of manuscripts, with illuminations, miniatures, poems in French and Italian, &c., and filled his château of Marcoussy with pictures and splendid furniture.
Marcoussy, about eighteen miles from Paris, was one of the most imposing castles in the Ile-de-France, with its massive walls, huge towers, and deep moats, surrounded by trees and gardens with terraces, fountains, and fishponds. Here he passed most of his time when not occupied in public affairs, and here grew up his children, Louis, Joachim, Jeanne, Louise, and Anne. They studied music, poetry, literature, and received altogether as good an education as was then attainable. The youngest, Anne, was herself the authoress of a poem written on one of the stories of Boccaccio, and many an exquisite embroidery for church or convent was done by the three sisters.
But upon the prosperous, happy lives of the Gravilles sorrow began to fall. Louis and Joachim died, and their loss so affected their mother that she also died in March, 1503, desiring to be buried near Joachim in the monastery of Marcoussy. Louise and Jeanne had made brilliant marriages, and Anne was left alone with her father, whose favourite she was, and who dreaded parting with her. However, between marriage and the cloister there was no alternative, and the Admiral wrote to her saying he had received offers from three young nobles, of whom he thought the first frivolous, the second rash and hasty, but the third, though less rich, was sensible and irreproachable in character.[334]
But meanwhile, Anne fell in love with her cousin Pierre, Baron d’Entragues, illegitimate son of Robert de Balzac, a young soldier of four and twenty who, fearing the Admiral might not allow the marriage, carried her off; some said with, others without her consent. At any rate she forgave him, and their marriage was celebrated without waiting for the permission of the Admiral, who was very angry, threatened to disinherit his daughter and forbade any one to help them. The Baron d’Entragues had no money and when he applied for help to his relations they refused; the young people had nothing to live upon and did not know what to do. So they bethought themselves of the good monks of the Céléstin convent of Marcoussy and took refuge with them. The Prior and brotherhood received them with kindness, sympathy, and promises of help, and they stayed in the monastery waiting till Good Friday, which was now approaching, when the Admiral was sure to come there to church.