  (See page 30.) UNDER Louis XII. the French fleet and the English fleet met, August 10, 1513, off the heights of Saint-MachÉ, in Lower Bretagne. The English fleet, eighty vessels strong, attacked that of France, which had but twenty. The French made up for numbers by courage and ability. They seized the advantage of the wind, fouled the enemy’s ships and shattered them, and sent more than half to the bottom. The Breton Primauguet was captain of “La CordeliÈre;” the vessel constructed after the orders of Queen Anne; it could carry twelve hundred soldiers besides the crew. He was attacked by twelve English vessels, defended himself with a courage that amounted to fury, sunk a number of the enemy’s vessels, and drove off the rest. One captain alone dared approach him again, flinging rockets on board of him, and so setting fire to the vessel. Primauguet might have saved himself in the long-boat, as did some of the officers and soldiers; but that valiant sailor would not survive the loss of his ship; he only thought of selling his life dearly and taking from the English the pleasure of enjoying the defeat of the French. Though all a-fire, he sailed upon the flag-ship of the enemy, the “Regent of England,” grappled her, set fire to her, and blew up with her an instant later. More than three thousand men perished in this action by French editor of “Vie des Dames Illustres,” II.(See page 44.) This is doubtless the Discours merveilleux de la vie, actions, et dÉportemens de la reine Catherine de MÉdicis, attributed to ThÉodore de BÈze, also to de Serres, but with more probability to Henri Étienne; coming certainly from the hand of a master. It was printed and spread about publicly in 1574 with the date of 1575; inserted soon after in the MÉmoires d’État sous Charles IX., printed in 1577 in three volumes, 8vo, and subsequently in the various editions of the Reccuil de diverses piÈces pour servir À l’histoire du rÈgne de Henri III. French editor. III.(See page 91.) M. de Maison-Fleur was a gentleman of the Bordeaux region, a Huguenot, and a somewhat celebrated poet in his day, whose principal work, Les Divins Cantiques, was printed for the first time at Antwerp in 1580, and several times reprinted in succeeding years. For details on this poet, see the BibliothÈque FranÇaise of the AbbÉ Goujet. French editor. IV.(See page 92.) (See page 94.) Translation as nearly literal as possible. In my sad, sweet song, In tones most lamentable I cast my cutting grief Of loss incomparable; And in poignant sighs I pass my best of years. Was ever such an ill Of hard destiny, Or so sad a sorrow Of a happy lady, That my heart and eye Should gaze on bier and coffin? That I, in my sweet springtide, In the flower of youth, All these pains should feel Of excessive sadness, With naught to give me pleasure Except regret and yearning? That which to me was pleasant Now is hard and painful; The brightest light of day Is darkness black and dismal; Nothing is now delight In that of me required. I have, in heart and eye, A portrait and an image That mark my mourning life And my pale visage With violet tones that are The tint of grieving lovers. For my restless sorrow I can rest nowhere; Why should I change in place Since sorrow will not efface? My worst and yet my best Are in the loneliest places. When in some still sojourn In forest or in field, Be it by dawn of day, Or in the vesper hour, Unceasing feels my heart Regret for one departed. If sometimes toward the skies My glance uplifts itself, The gentle iris of his eyes I see in clouds; or else I see it in the water, As in a grave. If I lie at rest Slumbering on my couch, I hear him speak to me, I feel his touch; In labour, in repose, He is ever near me. I see no other object, Though beauteous it may be In many a subject, To which my heart consents, Since its perfection lacks In this affection. End here, my song, Thy sad complaint, Of which be this the burden: True love, not feigned, Because of separation Shall have no diminution. VI.(See page 235.) This book, entitled Les Marguerites de la Marguerite des princesses, is a collection of the poems of this princess, made by Simon de La Haie, surnamed Sylvius, her valet de chambre, and printed at Lyon, by Jean de Tournes, 1547, 8vo. The Nouvelles of the Queen of Navarre appeared for the first time without the name of the author, under the title: Histoire des Amants fortunÉs, dediÉe À l’illustre princesse, Madame Marguerite de Bourbon, Duchesse de Nivernois, by Pierre Boaistuau, called Launay. Paris, 1558 4to. This edition contains only sixty-seven tales, and the text has been garbled by Boaistuau. The second edition is entitled: Heptameron des Nouvelles de trÈs-illustre et trÈs-excellente princesse Marguerite de Valois, reine de Navarre, remis en son vrai ordre, by Charles Gruget, Paris, 1559, 4to. French editor. In 1841 M. Genin published a volume of Queen Marguerite’s letters, and in the following year a volume of her letters addressed to FranÇois I. Since then Comte H. de La FerriÈre-Percy has made her the subject of an interesting “Study.” This careful investigator having discovered her book of expenses, kept by FrottÉ, Marguerite’s secretary, has developed from it a daily proof of the beneficent spirit and inexhaustible liberality of the good queen. The title of the book is: Marguerite d’AngoulÊme, soeur de FranÇois Ier. Aubry: Paris, 1862. The poems of FranÇois I., with other verses by his sister and mother, were published in 1847 by M. AimÉ Champollion. Notes to Sainte-Beuve’s Essay. VII(See page 262.) The Ladies given in Discourse VII. appear under the head of “The Widows” in the volume of Les Dames Galantes, a very different book from the Livre des Dames, which is their rightful place. As BrantÔme placed them under the title of Widows, he has naturally enlarged chiefly upon the period of their widowhood. French editor. |
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