Don John of Austria, or Passages from the history of the sixteenth century, MDXLVIIMDLXXVII . ess of Havrech did the noted, not without a secret sneer, the royal style assumedby the Governor, who drank from a cup presented by Gonzaga onhis knees. At the ball in the evening Don John never left theQueens side, always, as she records it, talking to me, often telling me that he saw in me the resemblance of his lady the Queen, the late Queen [of Spain] my sister, whom he had greatly honoured, and by all means in his power showing all honour and courtesy to me and my company, and te
Don John of Austria, or Passages from the history of the sixteenth century, MDXLVIIMDLXXVII . ess of Havrech did the noted, not without a secret sneer, the royal style assumedby the Governor, who drank from a cup presented by Gonzaga onhis knees. At the ball in the evening Don John never left theQueens side, always, as she records it, talking to me, often telling me that he saw in me the resemblance of his lady the Queen, the late Queen [of Spain] my sister, whom he had greatly honoured, and by all means in his power showing all honour and courtesy to me and my company, and testifying the pleasure he took in seeing me there. Margaret coulddance as admirably as she conversed ; and it was one of themost vaunted sights of the Court of France to see her move ^ See p. I. CHAP. VI. AFFAIRS OF THE NETHERLANDS. 239 through the figures of the gay ItaHan Pazzanieno, or the statelyPavana of Spain, now advancing with airy alluring grace, and nowpausing in the majesty of beautiful disdain.^ It may well havebeen on this festal night, while the brilliant Queen trod a measure. with her handsome and gallant host, that some old Spanishcaptain may have uttered the enthusiastic judgment recorded byBrantome, that to win such a beauty was better than to conquer a kingdom, and that the soldier might think himself fortunate who should have the honour to die under her banner. A difficulty about boats for the river voyage to Liege detained^ Brantome : CEuvres, ii. p. 380. 240 DON JOHN OF AUSTRIA. chap. vi. the French party another day at Namur. The morning of itpassed like that of the first. A splendid barge, followed by othersfilled with musicians, then conveyed the Queen and her host withtheir guests to an island where a banquet was spread in a spaciousivy bower, which in the evening became an agreeable summerballroom. Next day (24th of July) the same barge was placedat the Queens disposal for her voyage to Liege, and Havrech andhis wife were commissioned to accompany her
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