Chapter IX: Jehanne De Laval

Roses--“December” and “May”--A famous House--The Queen
of Beauty--All in love with Jehanne--The champion’s
crest--A tournament banquet--The Grand Prix--René struck
with Jehanne--His Genoese innamorate--“Devils at home”--A
second marriage desirable--The King bemoans Isabelle--No
festivities--A moral allegory--A new course of life--Costly
offerings--“Les Tards-Venus”--Court of Love at Les Baux--“La
Passe Rose”--A coffin full of golden hair--Ruralizing
royalty--Jehanne, nymph of the bosquets--“Pastorals”--“Regnault
et Jehanneton”--All fall in love, and all fall out!--An
allegory of chivalry--Cuer reads the strange inscription--Louis
XI.’s outrageous behaviour--“L’Abuzé en Court”--René
the victim--The Pageant of the Pheasant--An elysium of
love--The Queen’s virtues--Her portrait--René’s school of
architects--St. Bernardin, the King’s confessor--René’s
heart--Pious Sovereigns--Relics--The crown of Catalonia--Queen
Jehanne and Queen Margaret--Church spectacles--Magnificent
hospitality--Demoiselle Odille--La Petite Hélène--Patroness
of crafts--“The Golden Rose”--René’s green old age--“Le bon
Roy est mort!”--Marie de la Chapelle’s children--Queen Jehanne
retires to Beaufort--A studious widow--“I have no other rôle to
play!”-“La Reine” in an iron cage--The Queen’s sweet death--Her
will--Her monument and René’s--“Priez pour la bonne Jehanne” 306-356

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FACING PAGE

CEREMONIOUS ENTRY OF THE “LADY OF THE CREST” _Frontispiece_

QUEEN YOLANDA D’ARRAGONA 30

ENTRY OF A QUEEN INTO HER CAPITAL 40

FAVOURITE RECREATIONS 50

A MYSTERY 60

KING LOUIS II. OF SICILY-ANJOU 68

COMMUNION OF A KNIGHT 74

A ROYAL REPAST 80

STREET SCENE IN AIX 86

QUEEN ISABELLE DE LORRAINE 94

KING RENÉ (_circa_ 1440) 106

ROYAL PATRONESSES AND CRAFTS 118

“CŒUR” AND “THE ISLAND OF LOVE” 130

“THE WHITE QUEEN”--JEANNE D’ARC 144

EXPULSION OF GAY WOMEN 152

SIEGE OF ORLÉANS 160

SACRÉ OF CHARLES VII. 168

QUEEN MARIE D’ANJOU 174

A BESIEGED CASTLE 184

KING RENÉ AND HIS COURT 194

QUEENS, JUDGES, AND KNIGHTS 204

QUEEN GIOVANNA II. DA NAPOLI 216

HOMAGE OF A VASSAL 226

KING AND QUEEN IN STONE 236

KING RENÉ AND GUARINI DA VERONA 246

QUEEN MARGUERITE D’ANJOU 254

BEFORE THE “LISTS” 268

KING RENÉ IN HIS STUDY 280

AGRICULTURAL PURSUITS 292

QUEEN JEHANNE DE LAVAL 306

ST. MADELEINE PREACHING 320

“THE BURNING BUSH” 334

KING RENÉ (_circa_ 1470) 348