Grandeur and gallantry never appeared with more lustre in France, than
in the last years of Henry the Second's reign. This Prince was amorous
and handsome, and though his passion for Diana of Poitiers Duchess of
Valentinois, was of above twenty years standing, it was not the less
violent, nor did he give less distinguishing proofs of it.
As he was happily turned to excel in bodily exercises, he took a
particular delight in them, such as hunting, tennis, running at the
ring, and the like diversions. Madam de Valentinois gave spirit to all
entertainments of this sort, and appeared at them with grace and beauty
equal to that of her grand-daughter, Madam de la Marke, who was then
unmarried; the Queen's presence seemed to authorise hers.
The Queen was handsome, though not young; she loved grandeur,
magnificence and pleasure; she was married to the King while he was
Duke of Orleans, during the life of his elder brother the Dauphin, a
prince whose great qualities promised in him a worthy successor of his
father Francis the First.
The Queen's ambitious temper made her taste the sweets of reigning, and
she seemed to bear with perfect ease the King's passion for the Duchess
of Valentinois, nor did she express the least jealousy of it; but she
was so skilful a dissembler, that it was hard to judge of her real
sentiments, and policy obliged her to keep the duchess about her
person, that she might draw the King to her at the same time. This
Prince took great delight in the conversation of women, even of such as
he had no passion for; for he was every day at the Queen's court, when
she held her assembly, which was a concourse of all that was beautiful
and excellent in either sex.
Never were finer women or more accomplished men seen in any Court, and
Nature seemed to have taken pleasure in lavishing her greatest graces
on the greatest persons. The Princess Elizabeth, since Queen of Spain,
began now to manifest an uncommon wit, and to display those beauties,
which proved afterwards so fatal to her. Mary Stuart, Queen of
Scotland, who had just married the Dauphin, and was called the
Queen-Dauphin, had all the perfections of mind and body; she had been
educated in the Court of France, and had imbibed all the politeness of
it; she was by nature so well formed to shine in everything that was
polite, that notwithstanding her youth, none surpassed her in the most
refined accomplishments.
The Queen, her mother-in-law, and the King's
sister, were also extreme lovers of music, plays and poetry; for the
taste which Francis the First had for the Belles Lettres was not yet
extinguished in France; and as his son was addicted to exercises, no
kind of pleasure was wanting at Court. But what rendered this Court so
splendid, was the presence of so many great Princes, and persons of the
highest quality and merit: those I shall name, in their different
characters, were the admiration and ornament of their age.