when they were to wage war in earnest. (1)

Margaret was a frequent spectator of these pastimes, and took a keen
interest in her brother's efforts whenever he was assailing or defending
some miniature fortress or tilting at the ring. It would appear also
that she was wont to play at chess with him; for we have it on high
authority that it is she and her brother who are represented, thus
engaged, in a curious miniature preserved at the Bibliothèque Nationale
in Paris. (2) In this design--executed by an unknown artist--only the
back of Francis is to be seen, but a full view of Margaret is supplied;
the personage standing behind her being Artus Gouffier, her own and her
brother's governor.

1 Fleurange's _Histoire des Choses mémorables advenues du
Reigne de Louis XII. et François I_.

2 Paulin Paris's _Manuscrits françois de la Bibliothèque du
Roi_, &c., Paris, 1836, vol. i. pp. 279-281. The miniature
in question is contained in MS. No. 6808: _Commentaire sur
le Livre des Échecs amoureux et Archiloge Sophie_.

Whatever time Margaret may have devoted to diversion, she was certainly
a very studious child, for at fifteen years of age she already had the
reputation of being highly accomplished. Shortly after her sixteenth
birthday a great change took place in her life. On August 3rd, 1508,
Louise of Savoy records in her journal that Francis "this day quitted
Amboise to become a courtier, and left me all alone." Margaret
accompanied her brother upon his entry into the world, the young couple
repairing to Blois, where Louis XII. had fixed his residence. There
had previously been some unsuccessful negotiations in view of marrying