



Produced by David Widger from page images generously
provided by the Internet Archive







THE CONSTABLE DE BOURBON

By William Ainsworth




BOOK I.--THE AFFRONT.




I. FONTAINEBLEAU.

|On a fine day, in the early part of June, 1523, a splendid cavalcade,
consisting of three hundred well-mounted gentlemen, habited in velvet,
and each having a massive gold chain round his neck, entered the Forest
of Fontainebleau from the side of Nemours, and proceeded along an avenue
bordered by noble trees towards the palace.

For the most part, the persons composing this brilliant troop were young
and handsome cavaliers, whose looks and haughty bearing proclaimed
their high birth, but there were some veterans among them, whose bronzed
visages and martial deportment showed that they had served in many a
hard campaign. But all were equally richly attired in the sumptuous
livery of their leader--black velvet embroidered with gold--and their
pourpoints and the housings of their steeds bore a princely badge,
woven in gold, together with a sword wrought in the same material, which
denoted that their lord held the office of Constable, one of the highest
military dignities of France.

The leader of the troop, a very striking personage, whom it was
impossible to regard without interest, was a man of large stature, with
handsome, strongly-marked features, very stern in expression. An ample
chest and muscular throat indicated the possession of great personal
strength, but his frame, though stalwart, was admirably proportioned,
and it was easy to discern, from the manner in which he bestrode his
steed--a powerful block charger--that he was a consummate horseman. His
looks and deportment were those of one accustomed to command. If
not absolutely young, he was in the very prime of life, being just
thirty-three. His complexion was swarthy, his eyes dark and piercing,
and his beard, which he wore exceedingly long, black as jet. His
firm-set mouth betokened inflexible resolution, while his towering
forehead indicated great sagacity. Though he was magnificently arrayed,
his bearing showed that he was not one of the silken gallants who
thronged the gay and chivalrous court of François I., and who delighted
in the banquet, the masquerade, or the tournay--but a hardy warrior, who
had displayed prowess in the field, and could lead hosts to conquest.

Like his followers, this noble-looking personage was Clad in black
velvet, but his habiliments were ornamented with precious stones. His
girdle was set thick with gems, as was the handle of his poniard, and
his plumed toque was ornamented in a similar manner. Around his neck he
wore the superb collar of the order of Saint Michael, bestowed upon him
by François I., and upon the caparisons of his steed was embroidered
a sword, a symbol of the dignity with which he had been invested some
eight years ago, on the accession of the Duke d'Angoulême to the throne
of France.

This noble warrior, who equalled Roland in bravery and military science,
was the illustrious Charles de Bourbon, Constable of France. At this
time Bourbon was the most redoubtable person in the kingdom, as well
from his daring and ambitious character, as from the power which
he derived from his vast possessions. As the second prince of the
blood--the Duc d'Alençon being the first--he was not many degrees
removed from the throne, which the descendants of his house occupied at
a later period. Sprung from Saint Louis, by that monarch's sixth son, he
was head of the branch Bourbon-Montpensier, and had espoused Suzanne,
daughter of the Duchess Bourbon-Beaujeu, herself the eldest daughter of
Louis XI., and widow of Duke Pierre de Bourbon. The Duchess Suzanne had
died about six months previously, leaving Bourbon without issue, for her
three children had preceded her to the grave.

The Constable de Bourbon's possessions were immense. Whole provinces
belonged to him, in which he exercised feudal sovereignty. His titles
were Duke de Bourbon, Duke d'Auvergne, Comte de Montpensier, Comte de
Forez, Comte de la Marche, Vicomte of Carlat and Murat, and Seigneur
of Combrailles and La Roche en Reigniers. In Poitou he had the duchy
of Châtelleraut, and in Picardy the earldom of Clermont. These vast
possessions, combined with his pretensions to the throne and ambitious
character, naturally excited the jealousy of François I. Other causes
conspired to heighten the king's dislike of him. The victory of
Marignan, which signalised the first campaign of François in Italy, and
gained for him the duchy of Milan, was virtually won by Bourbon. Though
the Constable did not boast of the achievement, his haughty manner
offended the king, who sought on several occasions to lower his pride,
but only succeeded in irritating him.

In Louise de Savoie, Duchess d'Angoulême, and mother of the king,
Bourbon found an active and powerful enemy. Though she was thirteen
years older than the Constable, the duchess had conceived a violent
passion for him, and, in order to forward his ambitious views, Bourbon
feigned to respond to it. But he soon threw off the mask, and treated
her with indifference. For a time, the Duchess d'Angoulême contented
herself with brooding over her wrongs, perhaps believing her faithless
lover would return, but when he completed his perfidy by uniting himself
to Suzanne de Bourbon-Beaujeu, an alliance which greatly increased his
wealth and power, by uniting two branches of the family, the hostility
of the duchess took a more decided form. By her advice the large
pensions bestowed upon Bourbon by the king were recalled, and other
indignities were offered him.

Bourbon was too proud to complain of these unworthy proceedings, but
