This heiress was, at that time, one of the greatest matches in France,

and though she was very young several marriages had been proposed to

her mother; but Madam de Chartres being ambitious, hardly thought

anything worthy of her daughter, and when she was sixteen years of age

she brought her to Court. The Viscount of Chartres, who went to meet

her, was with reason surprised at the beauty of the young lady; her

fine hair and lovely complexion gave her a lustre that was peculiar to

herself; all her features were regular, and her whole person was full

of grace. The day after her arrival, she went to choose some jewels at a famous

Italian's; this man came from Florence with the Queen, and had acquired

such immense riches by his trade, that his house seemed rather fit for

a Prince than a merchant; while she was there, the Prince of Cleves

came in, and was so touched with her beauty, that he could not

dissemble his surprise, nor could Mademoiselle de Chartres forbear

blushing upon observing the astonishment he was in; nevertheless, she

recollected herself, without taking any further notice of him than she

was obliged to do in civility to a person of his seeming rank; the

Prince of Cleves viewed her with admiration, and could not comprehend

who that fine lady was, whom he did not know. He found by her air, and

her retinue, that she was of the first quality; by her youth he should

have taken her to be a maid, but not seeing her mother, and hearing the

Italian call her madam, he did not know what to think; and all the

while he kept his eyes fixed upon her, he found that his behaviour

embarrassed her, unlike to most young ladies, who always behold with

pleasure the effect of their beauty; he found too, that he had made her

impatient to be going, and in truth she went away immediately: the

Prince of Cleves was not uneasy at himself on having lost the view of

her, in hopes of being informed who she was; but when he found she was

not known, he was under the utmost surprise; her beauty, and the modest

air he had observed in her actions, affected him so, that from that

moment he entertained a passion for her. In the evening he waited on

his Majesty's sister.

This Princess was in great consideration by reason of her interest with

the King her brother; and her authority was so great, that the King, on

concluding the peace, consented to restore Piemont, in order to marry

her with the Duke of Savoy. Though she had always had a disposition to

marry, yet would she never accept of anything beneath a sovereign, and

for this reason she refused the King of Navarre, when he was Duke of

Vendome, and always had a liking for the Duke of Savoy; which

inclination for him she had preserved ever since she saw him at Nice,

at the interview between Francis I, and Pope Paul III. As she had a

great deal of wit, and a fine taste of polite learning, men of

ingenuity were always about her, and at certain times the whole Court

resorted to her apartments.




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