DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.63221#0131
THE COURT OF LOUISE DE SAVOIE
95
instead of eight in the morning, went to bed at midnight
instead of six, “fit gen til compagnon avec sa femme1’’—and
was rewarded by falling ill. His wife consoled him by
romances, which she sang while he lay in his bed.
She was a good-natured woman, light of heart, light of head,
light of morals, and this was a defect which stood Louise
and her son in good stead. Mary Tudor had brought over in
her train an English noble, Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk,
with whom she was suspected to have more than friendly rela-
tions—a fact which, once proved, would deprive her of queenly
rights and prevent any child of hers from being acknowledged
as heir. Mother and son set spies upon her at every turn;
Francis (who found a flirtation with Mary a necessary part of
the manoeuvres) commanded his wife never to leave the Queen’s
side by day; another trustworthy lady slept in her room at
night. The King’s death, on January 1st, 1515, not three
months after his marriage, put a sudden end to their plottings.
Mary Tudor went through the ordeal then prescribed by royal
etiquette for royal widows—to lie in bed for six weeks in a
dark room only lit by candles—after which she arose,
married the Duke of Suffolk, and returned to England.
There was now no obstacle between Francis and the
throne; his mother’s joy reached its zenith; and, at twenty-
one years of age, he became King of France.
95
instead of eight in the morning, went to bed at midnight
instead of six, “fit gen til compagnon avec sa femme1’’—and
was rewarded by falling ill. His wife consoled him by
romances, which she sang while he lay in his bed.
She was a good-natured woman, light of heart, light of head,
light of morals, and this was a defect which stood Louise
and her son in good stead. Mary Tudor had brought over in
her train an English noble, Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk,
with whom she was suspected to have more than friendly rela-
tions—a fact which, once proved, would deprive her of queenly
rights and prevent any child of hers from being acknowledged
as heir. Mother and son set spies upon her at every turn;
Francis (who found a flirtation with Mary a necessary part of
the manoeuvres) commanded his wife never to leave the Queen’s
side by day; another trustworthy lady slept in her room at
night. The King’s death, on January 1st, 1515, not three
months after his marriage, put a sudden end to their plottings.
Mary Tudor went through the ordeal then prescribed by royal
etiquette for royal widows—to lie in bed for six weeks in a
dark room only lit by candles—after which she arose,
married the Duke of Suffolk, and returned to England.
There was now no obstacle between Francis and the
throne; his mother’s joy reached its zenith; and, at twenty-
one years of age, he became King of France.