ALL this while I was engaged in putting my door together, with its
several appurtenances. As it is no part of my purpose to include in this
autobiography such things as annalists record, I have omitted the coming
of the Emperor with his great host, and the King’s mustering of his
whole army. [1] At the time when these events took place, his Majesty
sought my advice with regard to the instantaneous fortification of
Paris. He came on purpose to my house, and took me all round the city;
and when he found that I was prepared to fortify the town with
expedition on a sound plan, he gave express orders that all my
suggestions should be carried out. His Admiral was directed to command
the citizens to obey me under pain of his displeasure.
Now the Admiral had been appointed through Madame d’Etampes’ influence
rather than from any proof of his ability, for he was a man of little
talent. He bore the name of M. d’Annebault, which in our tongue is
Monsignor d’Aniballe; but the French pronounce it so that they usually
made it sound like Monsignore Asino Bue. [2] This animal then referred
to Madame d’Etampes for advice upon the matter, and she ordered him to
summon Girolamo Bellarmato without loss of time. [3] He was an engineer
from Siena, at that time in Dieppe, which is rather more than a day’s
journey distant from the capital. He came at once, and set the work of
fortification going on a very tedious method, which made me throw the
job up. If the Emperor had pushed forward at this time, he might easily
have taken Paris. People indeed said that, when a treaty of peace was
afterwards concluded, Madame d’Etampes, who took more part in it than
anybody else, betrayed the King. [4] I shall pass this matter over
without further words, since it has nothing to do with the plan of my
'Memoirs.' Meanwhile, I worked diligently at the door, and finished the
vase, together with two others of middling size, which I made of my own
silver. At the end of those great troubles, the King came to take his
ease awhile in Paris.
That accursed woman seemed born to be the ruin of the world. I ought
therefore to think myself of some account, seeing she held me for her
mortal enemy. Happening to speak one day with the good King about my
matters, she abused me to such an extent that he swore, in order to
appease her, he would take no more heed of me thenceforward than if he
had never set eyes upon my face. These words were immediately brought me
by a page of Cardinal Ferrara, called Il Villa, who said he had heard
the King utter them. I was infuriated to such a pitch that I dashed my
tools across the room and all the things I was at work on, made my
arrangements to quit France, and went upon the spot to find the King.
When he had dined, I was shown into a room where I found his Majesty in
the company of a very few persons. After I had paid him the respects due
to kings, he bowed his head with a gracious smile. This revived hope in
me; so I drew nearer to his Majesty, for they were showing him some
things in my own line of art; and after we had talked awhile about such
matters, he asked if I had anything worth seeing at my house, and next
inquired when I should like him to come. I replied that I had some
pieces ready to show his Majesty, if he pleased, at once. He told me to
go home and he would come immediately.
Note 1. Toward the end of August 1544, the Imperial army advanced as far
as Epernay, within twenty leagues of Paris.