Vulgar words in The Tales Of The Heptameron, Vol. III. (of V.) (Page 1)
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~ ~ ~ Sentence 251 ~ ~ ~
_Having remained unmarried until she was thirty years of age, Rolandine, recognising her father's neglect and her mistress's disfavour, fell so deeply in love with a bastard gentleman that she promised him marriage; and this being told to her father he treated her with all the harshness imaginable, in order to make her consent to the dissolving of the marriage; but she continued steadfast in her love until she had received certain tidings of the Bastard's death, when she was wedded to a gentleman who bore the same name and arms as did her own family_.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 274 ~ ~ ~
Now, when she was approaching her thirtieth year, there was at Court a gentleman who was a Bastard of a high and noble house; (4) he was one of the pleasantest comrades and most worshipful men of his day, but he was wholly without fortune, and possessed of such scant comeliness that no lady would have chosen him for her lover.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 275 ~ ~ ~
4 One cannot absolutely identify this personage; but judging by what is said of him in the story--that he came of a great house, that he was very brave but poor, neither rich enough to marry Rolandine nor handsome enough to be made a lover of, and that a lady, who was a near relative of his, came to the Court after his intrigue had been going on for a couple of years--he would certainly appear to be John, Bastard of Angoulôme, a natural son of Count John the Good, and consequently half-brother to Charles of Angoulôme ( who married Louise of Savoy) and uncle to Francis I. and Queen Margaret.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 277 ~ ~ ~
i. p. 210 B. there is a record of the letters of legitimisation granted to the Bastard of Angoulême at his father's request in June 1458, and M. Paul Lacroix points out that if Rolandine's secret marriage to him took place in or about 1508, he would then have been about fifty years old, hardly the age for a lover.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 278 ~ ~ ~
The Bastard is, however, alluded to in the tale as a man of mature years, and as at the outset of the intrigue (1505) he would have been but forty-seven, we incline with M. de Lincy to the belief that he is the hero of it.--Eu.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 281 ~ ~ ~
Those who had known Rolandine so very retiring that she would speak to none, were now greatly shocked on seeing her unceasingly with the well-born Bastard, and told her governess that she ought not to suffer their long talks together.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 288 ~ ~ ~
The Bastard came to talk with her according to his wont, but she told him everything that her governess had said to her, and, shedding tears, besought him to have no converse with her for a while, until the rumour should be past and gone; and to this he consented at her request.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 291 ~ ~ ~
The well-born Bastard was no better off; but, as he had already resolved in his heart to love her and try to wed her, and had thought not only of his love but of the honour that it would bring him if he succeeded in his design, he reflected that he must devise a means of making his love known to her and, above all, of winning the governess to his side.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 294 ~ ~ ~
They planned that Rolandine should often feign to suffer from headache, to which noise is exceedingly distressful; so that, when her companions went into the Queen's apartment, she and the Bastard might remain alone, and in this way hold converse together.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 295 ~ ~ ~
The Bastard was overjoyed at this, and, guiding himself wholly by the governess's advice, had speech with his sweetheart whensoever he would.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 297 ~ ~ ~
Some one replied that it was on account of sickness, but another, who possessed too good a memory for the absent, declared that the pleasure she took in speaking with the Bastard must needs cause her headache to pass away.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 298 ~ ~ ~
The Queen, who deemed the venial sins of others to be mortal ones in Rolandine, sent for her and forbade her ever to speak to the Bastard except it were in the royal chamber or hall.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 303 ~ ~ ~
But, in spite of all their secrecy, a serving-man saw the Bastard go into the room one fast day, and reported the matter in a quarter where it was not concealed from the Queen.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 304 ~ ~ ~
The latter was so wroth that the Bastard durst enter the ladies' room no more.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 321 ~ ~ ~
To this the Bastard readily agreed, whereupon they exchanged rings in token of marriage, and kissed each other in the church in the presence of God, calling upon Him to witness their promise; and never afterwards was there any other familiarity between them save kissing only.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 323 ~ ~ ~
There was scarcely any place where honour might be won to which the Bastard did not go, rejoicing that he could not now continue a poor man, seeing that God had bestowed on him a rich wife; and she during his absence steadfastly cherished their perfect love, and made no account of any other living man.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 325 ~ ~ ~
(6) 6 The speeches of Rolandine and the Bastard should be compared with some of Clement Marot's elegies, notably with one in which he complains of having been surprised while conversing with his mistress in a church.--B.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 329 ~ ~ ~
When the wars were over, (7) and the Bastard had returned to Court, she never spoke to him in presence of others, but always repaired to some church and there had speech with him under pretence of going to confession; for the Queen had forbidden them both, under penalty of death, to speak together except in public.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 330 ~ ~ ~
But virtuous love, which recks naught of such a ban, was more ready to find them means of speech than were their enemies to spy them out; the Bastard disguised himself in the habit of every monkish order he could think of, and thus their virtuous intercourse continued, until the King repaired to a pleasure house he had near Tours.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 339 ~ ~ ~
But if one opportunity failed them, love found them another and an easier one, for there came to the Court a lady to whom the Bastard was near akin.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 348 ~ ~ ~
She, having many times observed the young Prince at his window, made this known to the Bastard through her governess; and he, having made careful observation of the place, feigned to take great pleasure in reading a book about the Knights of the Round Table (10) which was in the Prince's room.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 354 ~ ~ ~
She likewise set herself to work a coverlet of crimson silk, (11) and fastened it at the window, where she desired to be alone; and, when she saw that none was by, she would converse with her husband, who contrived to speak in such a voice as could not be overheard; and whenever any one was coming, she would cough and make a sign, so that the Bastard might withdraw in good time.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 363 ~ ~ ~
The servant replied that he marvelled even more that people accounted sensible and of mature age should have a still greater liking for it than the young; and he told her, as matter for wonderment, how her cousin the Bastard would spend four or five hours each day in reading this fine book.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 364 ~ ~ ~
Straightway there came into the lady's mind the reason why he acted thus, and she charged the servant to hide himself somewhere, and take account of what the Bastard might do.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 365 ~ ~ ~
This the man did, and found that the Bastard's book was the window to which Rolandine came to speak with him, and he, moreover, heard many a love-speech which they had thought to keep wholly secret.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 366 ~ ~ ~
On the morrow he related this to his mistress, who sent for the Bastard, and after chiding him forbade him to return to that place again; and in the evening she spoke of the matter to Rolandine, and threatened, if she persisted in this foolish love, to make all these practices known to the Queen.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 368 ~ ~ ~
And as for the window, she declared that she had never spoken at it to the Bastard.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 378 ~ ~ ~
From that time, however, the Bastard no longer employed the page or any other child, but sent an old servant of his, who, laying aside all fear of the death which, as he well knew, was threatened by the Queen against all such as should interfere in this matter, undertook to carry his master's letters to Rolandine.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 385 ~ ~ ~
Then the King's confessor was sent for, and he, having put the pieces together on a table, read the whole of the letter, in which the truth of the marriage, that had been so carefully concealed, was made manifest; for the Bastard called Rolandine nothing but "wife."
~ ~ ~ Sentence 389 ~ ~ ~
But he was minded to die rather than accuse his master, and asked for a confessor; and when he had eased his conscience as well as might be, he said to them-- "Good sirs, I pray you tell the Bastard, my master, that I commend the lives of my wife and children to him, for right willingly do I yield up my own in his service.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 392 ~ ~ ~
Finding, however, that he answered nothing, they drew him out again, and made report of his constancy to the Queen, who on hearing of it declared that neither the King nor herself were so fortunate in their followers as was this gentleman the Bastard, though he lacked even the means to requite them.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 395 ~ ~ ~
The Queen, having learnt the truth of the marriage from the Bastard's letter, sent for Rolandine, whom with a wrathful countenance she several times called "wretch" instead of "cousin," reproaching her with the shame that she had brought both upon her father's house and her mistress by thus marrying without her leave or commandment.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 435 ~ ~ ~
However, her governess was not taken from her, and through her Rolandine acquainted the Bastard with all that had befallen her, and asked him what he would have her do.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 439 ~ ~ ~
"Yes, sire," said the Bastard, "but by word of mouth alone; however, if it please you, we'll make an ending of it."
~ ~ ~ Sentence 440 ~ ~ ~
The King bent his head, and, without saying anything more, returned straight towards the castle, and when he was nigh to it summoned the Captain of his Guard, and charged him to take the Bastard prisoner.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 441 ~ ~ ~
However, a friend who knew and could interpret the King's visage, warned the Bastard to withdraw and betake himself to a house of his that was hard by, saying that if the King, as he expected, sought for him, he should know of it forthwith, so that he might fly the kingdom; whilst if, on the other hand, things became smoother, he should have word to return.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 442 ~ ~ ~
The Bastard followed this counsel, and made such speed that the Captain of the Guards was not able to find him.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 459 ~ ~ ~
The Bastard, who was so deeply beholden to her, as you have seen, fled to Germany where he had many friends, and there showed by his fickleness that he had sought Rolandine less from true and perfect love than from avarice and ambition; for he fell deeply in love with a German lady, and forgot to write to the woman who for his sake was enduring so much tribulation.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 464 ~ ~ ~
When this servant had returned from his journey, he told her that the Bastard was indeed deeply in love with a German lady, and that according to common report he was seeking to marry her, for she was very rich.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 466 ~ ~ ~
Those who knew the cause of her sickness, told her on behalf of her father that, with this great wickedness on the part of the Bastard before her eyes, she might now justly renounce him.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 470 ~ ~ ~
And the Divine Goodness, which is perfect charity and true love, took pity upon her grief and long suffering, in such wise that a few days afterwards the Bastard died while occupied in seeking after another woman.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 930 ~ ~ ~
"If I were you," said Parlamente to Saffredent, "and held such an opinion as that, I would never make love to woman."
~ ~ ~ Sentence 1,295 ~ ~ ~
"I can assure you," said Geburon, "that I have often known similar things to come to pass, and have seen men who were deemed rustic blockheads deceive very shrewd people.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 1,386 ~ ~ ~
She feigned sickness, in order that she might wear a cloak and so conceal her condition; and having a bastard brother, in whom she had more trust than in any one else, and upon whom she had conferred many benefits, she sent for him when the time of her confinement was drawing nigh, told him her condition (but without mentioning her son's part in it), and besought him to help her save her honour.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 1,394 ~ ~ ~
Meanwhile her bastard brother, finding that the daughter left in his charge had grown to be a tall maiden of perfect beauty, resolved to place her in some distant household where she would not be known, and by the mother's advice she was given to Catherine, Queen of Navarre.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 1,493 ~ ~ ~
Cruche, a great buffoon, who a little time before with several others had publicly performed in certain entertainments and novelties' (_sic_) on scaffolds upon the Place Maubert, there being in turn jest, sermon, morality and farce; and in the morality appeared several lords taking their cloth of gold to the tomb and carrying their lands upon their shoulders into the other world.