_TALE LVII_.

_An English lord for seven years loved a lady without ever
venturing to let her know of it, until one day, when
observing her in a meadow, he lost all colour and control of
feature through a sudden throbbing of the heart that came
upon him. Then she, showing her compassion, at his request
placed her gloved hand upon his heart, whereupon he pressed
it so closely, whilst declaring to her the love he had so
long borne her, that she withdrew it, leaving in its place
her glove. And this glove he afterwards enriched with gems
and fastened upon his doublet above his heart, and showed
himself so graceful and virtuous a lover that he never
sought any more intimate favour of her_.

King Louis the Eleventh (1) sent the Lord de Montmorency to England as
his ambassador, and so welcome was the latter in that country that the
King and all the Princes greatly esteemed and loved him, and even
made divers of their private affairs known to him in order to have his
counsel upon them.

1 Some of the MS. say Louis XII., but we cannot find that
either the eleventh or twelfth Louis sent any Montmorency as
ambassador to England. Ripault-Desormeaux states, however,
in his history of this famous French family, that William de
Montmorency, who, after fighting in Italy under Charles
VIII. and Louis XII., became, governor of the Orléanais and
_chevalier d'honneur_ to Louise of Savoy was one of the