world, who being much in love with a great Lord, for to attract him to
her and by way of trying some good device to win him to her,—a design
wherein she could never succeed, one day being in a wooded avenue and
seeing him approach, did make a pretense as though her garter were
coming down. So withdrawing a little on one side, she did lift up her
leg, and began to pull up her stocking and re-adjust her garter. The
great lord did note it all well, and found her leg an exceeding fine
one. Indeed he did lose his head so completely that this sight of her
did work more effect on him than ever her face had done, for he did
think to himself how that two such fine columns must needs support a
very fine building. And later he did admit as much to his mistress, who
afterward did with him as she would. A noteworthy device truly, and a
pretty bit of love practice!
I have heard speak likewise of a fair and honourable lady, and one
especially witty and of a gay good humour, who one day, when her
chamber valet was a-drawing on of her hose, did ask him if this did not
put him in heat, temptation and concupiscence;[147] nay! she put it yet
more plainly, and said the plain word right out. The valet, thinking to
please and for the respect he bare his mistress, did answer her, No!—At
this she did of a sudden lift her hand and gave him a sound cuff on the
head, crying out, “Begone with you! you shall never serve me more. You
are a simpleton, and I do give you notice from this day.”
There be many young ladies’ valets nowadays which be not so
self-restrained at the rising of their mistresses from bed and in the
dressing of them and putting on of their foot-gear. Moreover many a
gentleman would have found it hard to act thus, seeing so fair a treat
spread out before his eyes.
’Tis not only in our own day men have esteemed the beauty of fine legs
and pretty feet (for ’tis one and the same thing); but in the time of
the old Romans likewise we do read how Lucius Vitellius, father of the
Emperor Vitellius, being very sore smit with love for Messalina and
desiring to be in favour with her husband by her means, did one day
beseech her to do him the honour of granting him a boon.[148*] The
Empress asked him, “What boon?”—“’Tis this, Madam,” he replied, “that
you be pleased one day to suffer me to take off your shoes.” Messalina,
who was ever full of courtesy for her subjects, could not refuse him
this favour. Then he, after removing her shoes, did keep one of them,
and bore the same always about with him betwixt his shirt and his skin,
kissing it as oft as ever he had opportunity, in this wise worshipping
his lady’s pretty feet in the guise of her slippers, forasmuch as
he could not have at his disposal the foot itself nor the fine leg
appertaining thereto.
Then you have that English Lord in the _Cent Nouvelles_ of the Queen of
Navarre, which did in like wise wear his mistress’ glove by his side,
and that so richly adorned. Again I have known many gentlemen which,
before donning of their silk stockings, would beg their fair ladies and
mistresses to try on the same and wear them the first a week or ten
days, more or less; after which themselves would wear them in great
respect and high content of mind and body.
I knew once a Lord of the great world, who being at sea with a very
great lady and one of the fairest of womankind, had the happiness,
seeing he was travelling with her through his country and as her women
were all ill of seasickness and so in very ill case to serve her, to
be obliged to put her to bed with his own hands every night and get her
up in the morning. But in so doing and in putting on of her foot-gear
and taking off the same, he did grow so much enamoured as to be well
nigh desperate, albeit she was his near kinswoman. For verily the
temptation herein was too exceeding great, and there doth not exist the
man so mortified in spirit but he is something moved by the same.
We do read of the wife of Nero, Poppæa Sabina, which was the favourite
of all his wives and mistresses, how that, beside being the most lavish
of women in all sorts of superfluities, ornaments, embellishments,
gawds and costly weeds, she did wear shoes and slippers all of pure
gold. This luxury was not like to make her hide her foot and leg from
Nero, her cuckold mate; nor yet did he enjoy the sole delight and
pleasure of the sight, for there was many another lover had the same
privilege. Well might she display this extravagance for herself, seeing
she was used to have her horses’ hoofs, which did draw her chariot,
shod with shoes of silver.
Saint Jerome doth reprove in very severe terms a lady of his time which
was over careful of the beauty of her leg, using these exact words:
“With her little brown boot, well fitting and well polished, she doth
decoy young men, and the tinkle of her shoe-buckles is a snare unto
them.” No doubt this was some dainty fashion of foot-gear in vogue in
those days, that was over luxurious and ill becoming to modest women.
The wearing of foot-gear of the sort is to this present day in use
among Turkish ladies, and those the best-born and most virtuous.
I have seen the question raised and discussed which is the more
seductive and alluring, the naked leg, or the leg covered and
stockinged? Many hold there is naught like the natural article, when
’tis well made and perfectly turned, according to the points of beauty
enumerated by the Spaniard I did quote from a little above, and is
white, fair and smooth, and appropriately displayed in a fine bed. For
if it be otherwise and a lady were fain to show her leg all bare in
walking and so on, and with shoes on her feet, albeit she should be the
most magnificently dressed out possible, yet would she never be deemed
becomingly apparelled. Nor would she really and truly look so fair as
one that should be properly equipped with pretty hose of coloured silk
or else of white thread, such as be made at Florence for summer wear,
and which I have often seen our ladies wearing in former times, before
the great vogue we do now see of silk stockings. But the hose must ever
be drawn close and stretched as tight as a drum and so fastened with
clasps or otherwise, according to the preference and good pleasure of
the wearer. Further must the foot be fitted with a pretty white shoe,
or a slipper of black velvet or velvet of some other colour, or else a
neat little high-heeled shoe, cut to perfection, such as I have seen
a certain very noble lady of the great world wear, of such sort that
naught could well be better or more dainty.
Wherein again the beauty of the foot must be considered. If this be
too large, ’tis not pretty; but an if it be too tiny, it doth give
a naughty hint and ill notion of its wearer. Rather it should be of
a middling size, as I have seen sundry which have been exceeding
appetizing, above all when their owners did thrust the same half in,
half out, and just show them beneath their petticoat, and make them
shift and quiver in little tricksome, wanton movements, being shod
with a pretty little high-heeled shoe, thinly soled, or else a white
slipper, pointed, not square-toed in front; but the white is the most
daintiest. But these little high-heeled shoes and pumps be for big,
tall women, not for the short and dwarfish ones, which do have their
great horse-shoes with soles two feet thick. One had as lief as these
see a giant’s club on the swing, or a fool’s bawble.
Another thing a woman should beware of is the disguising her sex and
dressing herself as a boy, whether for a masquerade or for any other
occasion. For so attired, though she have the finest leg in the world,
yet doth she look ill-shapen in that part, seeing all things have their
proper setting and suitable array. Thus in falsifying of their sex,
they do altogether disfigure their beauty and natural grace.
This is why ’tis not becoming for a woman to dress as a boy for to
display her charms to the more advantage,—unless indeed it be merely to
don a dainty, gallant cap with the Guelf or Ghibelline feather stuck
therein, or perched above the brow, in such wise to be distinctively
neither male nor female, after the fashion our ladies have of late
adopted. Yet even this doth not suit all women equally well; the face
must be saucy and of just the right expression to carry it off, as
we have seen in the case of our Queen Marguerite of Navarre. Her it
did suit so well that, seeing her face only when she was so bedecked,
no man could tell which sex she came the nearer to, whether she more
looked the handsome boy or the beautiful woman she really was.
This doth remind me of another lady of the great world, and one I knew,
which wishing to imitate the same mode when about twenty-five years
of age, and altogether over tall and big statured, a great masculine
looking woman and but lately come to Court, and thinking to play the
gallant dame, did one day appear so attired in the ball-room. Nor did
she fail to be much stared at and rallied not a little on her costume.
Even the King himself did pronounce his judgement thereon, for indeed
he was one of the wittiest men in his realm, and declared she did
resemble a mountebank’s wench, or still better one of those painted
figures of women that are imported from Flanders and set up in front
of the chimney-pieces in inns and taverns with German flutes at their
lips. In fact he went so far as to have her told that if she did appear
any more in that dress and get-up, he would order her to bring her
flute with her for to play a merry greeting to the noble company withal
and divert them with her music. Such cruel sport did he make of her, as
well because the said head-gear did so ill suit her as for a grudge he
had against her husband.
So we see such masquerading doth not suit all ladies alike. For when
this same Queen of Navarre, the fairest woman in all the world, was
pleased to adopt a further disguise beyond the cap, she did never
appear so fair as she really was, nor ever would have. And indeed what
shape could she have taken more beauteous than her own, seeing there
is none better she could have borrowed from any in all the world? And
if she had chose to show her leg, the which I have heard sundry of her
women describe as the finest and best ever known, otherwise than in its
proper form, and appearing well and fitly stockinged and shod below her
fine clothes, never would it have been deemed so handsome as it was.
Thus with a due regard to surroundings doth it behove fair ladies to
show and make display of their beauties.
2.
I have read in a Spanish book entitled _El Viage del Principe_, or “The
Prince’s Voyage,” to wit that which the King of Spain[149] did make in
his Province of the Low Countries, in the time of the Emperor Charles
his father, how among other fine receptions he did meet with among his
rich and wealthy cities of those parts, was one of the Queen of Hungary
in the fair city of Bains, which did give rise to a proverb, _Mas brava
que las fiestas de Bains_,—“Finer than the festivities of Bains.”
Among other magnificent shows was this. During the siege of a sham
castle that was erected, and besieged in form as a place of war, (a
description of the same is given elsewhere in my Works), she did one
day give an entertainment, notable among all others, to the Emperor
her good brother, the Queen Eleanor her sister, the King her nephew,
and all the Lords, nights and ladies of the Court. Toward the end of
the show did appear a lady, accompanied by six Oreads, or mountain
nymphs, clad in the antique mode, in the costume of nymphs of the
Virgin Huntress, all attired in cloth of silver and green and crescents
on their brow all beset with diamonds in such wise that they seemed to
imitate the brilliancy of the moon, and carrying each her bow and arrow
in hand, and rich quivers at their side, their shoes in like wise of
cloth of silver, well fitting and well put on so as that they could not
be better. And so caparisoned they did enter the great hall, leading
their dogs after them, and did present to the Emperor and laid on the
table before him all sorts of game in pasties, the which they had taken
in their hunting.
Thereafter did come Pales, the goddess of shepherds, with six nymphs of
the meadows, clad all in white of cloth of silver, with furniture of
the same on their heads all beset with pearls, wearing likewise hosen
of the same material with white slippers; and these did bring all sorts
of milk confections, and laid the same before the Emperor.
Then for the third band, came the goddess Pomona, with her Naïads,
or water nymphs, which did bring the last offering of fruits. And
this goddess was the daughter of Donna Beatrix Pacecho, Comtesse
d’Autremont, lady-in-waiting of Queen Eleanor, a child at that time of
some nine years old.[150*] She it is that is now wife of the Admiral de
Chastillon, he having wedded her as his second wife. This pretty maid
and goddess did bring in, she and her companions, all sorts of fruits
such as could be found at that season, for it was Summer time, the
richest and rarest procurable, and did present the same to the Emperor
with a set speech so eloquent, so fine and pronounced with so sweet a
grace that she did win the great love and admiration of the Emperor and
all the company there assembled, her youth being taken in account, that
from that day forward ’twas foretold of all that she would be what she
is to-day, a fair, wise, honourable, virtuous, clever and witty lady.
She was similarly attired as a nymph like the rest of her companions,
all being clad in cloth of silver and white, with hosen and shoes of
the same, and their heads decked with much wealth of jewels. But these
were all emeralds this time, to represent in part the colour of the
fruit they did offer. And besides the gift of fruit, she did make one
to the Emperor and the King of Spain of a Tree of Victory all enamelled
in green, the boughs laden with great pearls and precious stones, right
rich to behold and of inestimable worth; also to the Queen Eleanor a
fan, with a mirror in the mid thereof, the whole garnished with jewels
of great price.
Verily this Princess and Queen of Hungary did show right well that she
was an honourable lady in all points, and that her address and tact was
as admirable as was her skill in the art of war. And indeed, by all I
have heard said, the Emperor her brother did feel no little content and
comfort to have so honourable a sister and so worthy of him.
Now have I laid myself open to blame and might fairly enough be
asked why I have made this digression in the course of my Discourse.
’Tis to point out how that all these maids that did represent these
characters had been chose out and selected as being the fairest among
all the suite of the Queens of France and of Hungary and of Madame de
Lorraine,—being Frenchwomen, Italians, Flemish, German and Lorrainers.
In all the number was no defect of beauty; and God knoweth if the
Queen of Hungary had been painstaking and exact to choose such as were
fairest and most graceful.
Madame de Fontaine-Chalandry, who is yet alive, could give us good
assurance of this, who was at the time maid of honour of the Queen
Eleanor, and one of the fairest. She was known also by the name of “the
fair Torcy,” and hath told me the tale of all these doings. And I have
it for sure both of her and from other quarters too how that all the
lords, gentlemen and knights of that Court did take their diversion in
looking at and examining fine legs, limbs and pretty little feet of
these ladies. For attired thus as nymphs, they were dressed in short
gowns, and could make a very engaging display, more enticing even than
their pretty faces, which admirers could see every day, whereas ’twas
not so with their other beauties. And so sundry courtiers did grow more
enamoured by the sight and display of these same fine legs, than ever
of their pretty faces, seeing that atop of such fine columns there be
commonly found fine cornices with their friezes, fine architraves, and
rich capitals, smoothly polished and curiously carved.
So must I be allowed yet another digression, and to say my say
as I please, now we be upon the subject of shows and suchlike
representations. Almost at the same moment as these noble festivities
were a-doing in the Low Countries, and above all at Bains, on occasion
of the reception of the King of Spain, was made the state entry of King
Henri, on his way back from visiting his province of Piedmont and his
garrisons there, into Lyons, which was of a surety one of the finest
and most triumphant ever known, as I have heard honourable ladies and
gentlemen of the Court declare, which were there at the time.
Well! if this show and representation of Diana and her hunt was found
admirable at these Royal festivities of the Queen of Hungary, another
was contrived at Lyons which was different again and still more
lifelike.[151*] For as the King was marching along, and just about to
reach a grand obelisk of Classic fashion, on the right hand of his way
he did actually find a meadow by the side of the high road surrounded
by a wall something more than six feet high, and the said meadow
within filled up with earth to the same height. This had been regularly
filled up with trees of moderate growth, planted in between with thick
undergrowth and many shrubs and smaller brushwood, as well as with a
good supply of fruit trees. In this miniature forest did disport them
many little stags all alive, and fawns and roebuck, though of course
tame ones. Presently his Majesty did hear sundry hunting-horns and
trumpets sound softly; and thereupon instantly did behold through
the aforesaid wood Diana a-hunting with her companions and forest
maids, holding in her hand a richly dight Turkish bow, and her quiver
hanging at her side, attired in the costume of a nymph, after the
fashion the remains of Antiquity do yet show us. Her body was clad in
a short doublet with six great round scallops of black cloth of gold,
strewn with silver stars, the sleeves and body of crimson satin with
borderings of gold, tucked up to mid thigh, displaying her fine limb
and pretty leg, and her sandals of the antique shape, set with pearls
embedded in embroideries. Her hair was interlaced with heavy strings of
rich pearls, with wealth of precious stones and jewels of price; while
above the brow a little silver crescent was set, blazing with tiny
little diamonds. For gold would not have been so well, nor so true a
representation of the natural crescent, which is clear and silvery.
Her companions were accoutred in divers sorts of costumes of lustring
striped with gold, both wide and narrow stripes, always in the antique
mode, as well as sundry other colours of an antique sort, varied
and intermingled as well for curiousness of effect as for gaiety of
appearance. Hosen and shoes were of satin; their heads decked out in
like wise in the character of nymphs, with many pearls and precious
stones.
Some were leading in leash sleuth-hounds, small greyhounds, spaniels
and other dogs by cords of silk white and black, the King’s colours
which he bare for the love of a lady named Diana whom he loved; others
did go along with and encourage the running dogs, that were in full
cry. Others again did carry little darts of hard wood,[152*] the point
gilded, and having pretty little hanging tassels of black and white
silk, and hunting-horns and trumpets mounted in gold and silver hanging
in bandoleers with cords of thread of silver and black silk.
And so soon as ever they did perceive the King, a lion did sally forth
of the wood, which was tamed and trained long before for this, and did
throw himself at the feet of the said goddess, giving her welcome. So
she, seeing him so mansuete and gentle, did take him by a great rope of
silver cord and black silk, and on the instant did present the same to
the King. Thus coming forward with the lion to the edge of the wall of
the meadow bordering the road, and within a pace or so of his Majesty,
she did make offer to him of the beast in a rhymed stanza, of the sort
composed in those days, yet not so ill wrought either or ill sounding.
And according to this rhyme, the which she did pronounce with a very
good grace and sweetness, under the guise of the lion so gentle and
well behaved she did offer him his town of Lyons, now all gentle, well
behaved and brought under to his laws and orders.
All this being said and done with a very sweet grace, Diana and all her
companions did make him an humble reverence; whereupon having looked at
them all with a favourable eye and greeted them graciously, signifying
he had found their hunting shows right agreeable and thanking them
heartily, he did so part from them and went on his way to his entry
into the city.[153*] Now observe that this same Diana and all her
nymphs were the most highly thought on and fairest wives, widows and
maids of Lyons, where is no lack of such, which did play their mystery
so well and in such engaging sort that the most part of the Princes,
Lords, gentlemen and courtiers were exceedingly delighted thereat. I
leave you to judge whether they had not good cause so to be.
Madame de Valentinois, known as Diane de Poitiers, the King’s mistress,
in whose name this hunting was made, was not less well content, and did
like well all her life long the good town of Lyons. And indeed she was
their neighbour, by reason of the Duchy of Valentinois which is quite
close to that place.
Well! as we are on the subject of the pleasure to be derived from
the sight of a fine leg, we may be assured, as I have heard say,
that not the King only, but all these Court gallants, did find a
marvellous great pleasure in contemplating and gazing at those of
these fair nymphs, so gaily attired and high kilted as that they did
give as much,—or more,—temptation to ascend to a yet higher level, as
admiration and reason to approve so pretty and pleasantly contrived a
divertisement.
However, to quit our digression and return to the point at which we
left our main subject, I mention how we have seen played at our Court
and represented by our Queens right graceful ballets, and especially
by the Queen Mother; yet as a rule, for us courtiers we would be ever
casting our eyes on the feet and legs of the ladies which did take
part in them, and did find by far our greatest pleasure in seeing them
display their legs so agreeably, and so move and twinkle their feet
so nimbly as that naught could be better.[154*] For their petticoats
and frocks were much shorter than usual, though not so much so as in
the nymphs’ costume, nor so high as they should have been and as was
desired of many. Yet did our eyes fasten somewhat on those parts, and
especially when they were dancing the quick step, which making the
skirts to flutter up, would generally show something or other pleasant
to look at,—a sight that I have seen several find altogether too much
for them, so that they did lose all self-control over themselves.
The fair ladies of Sienna, at the first beginning of the revolt of
their city and republic, did form three companies of the most beautiful
and greatest ladies were in that town. Each company did mount to a
thousand, so as the whole was three thousand strong. One company was
clad in violet lustring, one in white, and one in red, all being
attired as nymphs with very short skirts, in such wise that they did
make full display of fine limbs and legs. In this wise they did pass
in review before all their fellow townsmen as well as before his Grace
the Cardinal of Ferrara and M. de Termes, Lieutenants General of our
French King Henri, all firmly resolved and determined to die for the
Republic and for France, and all ready to give a hand to the work of
fortifying the said city. Indeed all and each did carry a fascine
ready on shoulder; and did rouse by their gallantry the admiration of
all. This tale I do set down in another place, where I am speaking of
high-spirited women; for truly ’tis one of the finest exploits was ever
done by gallant dames.