extreme affability and a lively humour, which never left her. (1)

1 Sainte-Marthe says on this subject: "For in her face, in
her gestures, in her walk, in her words, in all that she did
and said, a royal gravity made itself so manifest and
apparent, that one saw I know not what of majesty which
compelled every one to revere and dread her. In seeing her
kindly receive every one, refuse no one, and patiently
listen to all, you would have promised yourself easy and
facile access to her; but if she cast eyes upon you, there
was in her face I know not what of gravity, which made you
so astounded that you no longer had power, I do not say to
walk a step, but even to stir a foot to approach her."--
_Oraison-funèbre, &c_, p. 53.

Francis I. did not allow the magnificent reception accorded to him at
Alençon to pass unrewarded. He presented his sister with the duchy of
Berry, where she henceforward exercised temporal control, though she
does not appear to have ever resided there for any length of time.
In 1521, when her husband started to the relief of Chevalier Bayard,
attacked in Mézières by the Imperial troops, she repaired to Meaux with
her mother so as to be near to the Duke. Whilst sojourning there she
improved her acquaintance with the Bishop, William Briçonnet, who had
gathered around him Gerard Roussel, Michael d'Arande, Lefèvre d'Etaples,
and other celebrated disciples of the Reformation. The effect of
Luther's preaching had scarcely reached France before Margaret had begun
to manifest great interest in the movement, and had engaged in a long
correspondence with Briçonnet, which is still extant. Historians are
at variance as to whether Margaret ever really contemplated a change of
religion, or whether the protection she extended to the Reformers was