The Tales Of The Heptameron, Vol. V. (of V.) Read online

  THE SUPPOSED NARRATORS OF THE _HEPTAMERON_ TALES.

  In his introductory essay to this translation of the _Heptameron_, Mr.George Saintsbury has called attention to the researches of variouscommentators who have laboured to identify the supposed narrators ofQueen Margaret's tales. As it may be fairly assumed that the settingof the work is pure invention on the Queen's part, the researches inquestion can scarcely serve any useful purpose. Still they appear tohave had considerable attraction for several erudite editors, whoseopinions, occasionally alluded to in our notes, we will here brieflysummarise for the information of those whom the matter may interest:--

  OISILLE, a widow lady of long experience, is supposed by Messrs. deLincy, Lacroix, Genin, Frank, de Montaiglon and Miss Mary Robinson to beLouise of Savoy. In some MSS. the name is written Osyle, the anagramof _Loyse_, in which fashion Louise was spelt in old French. It may bepointed out, _en passant_, that Brantome's grandmother, the Senechaleof Poitou, whose connection with the _Heptameron_ is recorded, was alsonamed Louise (see ante, vol. i. p. lxxxii.).

  PARLAMENTE, wife of Hircan, is supposed by the same commentators to beQueen Margaret herself; this is assumed mainly because the viewswhich Parlamente expresses on religion, philosophy, men and women,are generally in accord with those which the Queen is known to haveprofessed.

  HIRCAN, in M. de Lincy's opinion, might be the Duke of Alencon,Margaret's first husband. Messrs. Frank and Mont-aiglon, following M.Lacroix, prefer to identify him as Henry d'Albret, King of Navarre.They conjecture the name of Hircan to be derived from Ilanricus, a notuncommon fashion of spelling Henricus. It might, however, simply comefrom _hircus_, a he-goat, for Hircan is a man of gross, sensual tastes.

  LONGARINE, a young widow, is supposed by M. de Lincy to be Blanche deChastillon, _nee_ de Tournon (concerning whom see _ante_, vol. i. p. 84,n. 7, and p. 120 _et seq_.; vol. iv. p. 144, n. 2; and vol. v. p. 25, n.2). M. Frank, however, thinks she is Aimee Motier de la Fayette, lady of_Longray_, widow of Francis de Silly, Bailiff of Caen, and _gouvernante_to Queen Margaret's daughter, Jane of Navarre. Miss Robinson shares thisopinion, but M. de Montaiglon thinks that _Longarine_ would ratherbe Aimee Motier de la Fayette's daughter Frances, married to Fredericd'Almenesches, of one of the branches of the house of Foix.

  SIMONTAULT (occasionally _Symontaut_), a young knight, is thought by M.de Lincy to be Henry d'Albret, Margaret's second husband, who was of anextremely amorous disposition, and much younger than herself. Messrs.Frank and de Montaiglon, however, fancy _Simontault_ to have beenFrancis, Baron de Bourdeilles, father of Brantome. It is admitted,however, that if this be the case, it is curious that Brantome shouldnot have alluded to it in any of his writings, whereas he does speakboth of his mother and of his grandmother in connection with the_Heptameron_.

  ENNASUITE (occasionally _Ennasuitte_ or _Ennasuicte_, and in some MSS._Emarsuite_), is supposed by Messrs. de Lincy, Frank, and de Montaiglonto be Anne de Vivonne, wife of Francis de Bourdeilles and mother ofBrantome (see ante, vol. iv. p. 144, n. 2). It is pointed out that thename may be transformed into the three words _Anne et suite_.

  DAGOUCIN, a young gentleman, is thought by M. Frank to be Nicholas Dangu(see ante, vol. i. p. 20, n. 4, and p. 40, n. 3), who became Chancellorto the King of Navarre. M. Lacroix, however, fancies this personage tobe a Count d'Agoust.

  GEBURON, apparently an elderly man, would in M. Frank's opinion be theSeigneur de Burye, a captain of the Italian wars to whom Brantome (hiscousin-german) alludes in his writings. The name of de Burye is alsofound in a list of the personages present at Queen Margaret's funeral.M. de Montaiglon shares M. Frank's views.

  NOMERFIDE, so M. de Lincy suggests, may have been the famous Francesde Foix, Countess of Chateaubriand; but M. Frank opines that she is aDemoiselle de Fimarcon or Fiedmarcon (Lat. _Feudimarco_), who in1525 married John de Montpczat, called "Captain Carbon," one of theexquisites of the famous Field of the cloth of gold. Miss Robinson,however, fancies that Nomerfide is Isabel d'Albret, sister of Margaret'ssecond husband, and wife of Rene de Rohan.

  SAFFREDENT, so M. de Lincy thinks, may be Admiral de Bonnivet; M. Franksuggests John de Montpezat; and Miss Robinson Rene de Rohan, who, afterhis father Peter de Rohan-Gie (husband of Rolandine, see _ante_, vol.iii., Tale XXI, notes 2 and 15), had been killed at Pavia, was for someyears entrusted to Queen Margaret's care. As Miss Robinson points out,_Saffredent_ literally means greedy tooth or sweet tooth.

  Those who may be desirous of studying and comparing these variousattempts at identification, will find all the evidence and arguments ofany value set forth in the writings of M. Frank, M. de Montaiglon andMiss Robinson, which are specified in the Bibliography annexed to thisappendix.--Ed.