Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/505

I579-] THE ALE A' f ON MARRIAGE, 485 with him from Alencon, which absurd alike in form and substance, yet gratified the thirst for adulation of the ' Perfect Goddess ' to whom it was addressed. 1 It was received with all appearance of pleasure, and the bearer of it, Simier, was charming. The small chattering, voluble, amusing creature became the Queen's play- thing ; throwing Hatton and every other favourite into the shade. She called him her ' petit singe/ her pet monkey, and cuffed or fondled him as the humour took her. The conditions of the alliance were now gravely entered on. As a preliminary she consulted a physician on the prospect of her having children, 2 and on her re- ceiving a favourable answer, the council set to work. Their part of the task was easy. They had only to revive the articles already fruitlessly agreed on when the suitor was Aler^on's brother the present King. The 1 The letter is an autograph. It begins with an assurance that his connection with the Prince of Orange was broken off, and continues thus : ' Me proumes que metre fin asete oc- quation aus negotiations, de puis si Ion tans coumanse, qui sera la chouze du raonde qui me randra plus satis fet et contant; et se fesant gag- neres les heuures de misericorde res- torant unne vice langisante et qui net ni sera que autant que je la pensere digne de faire cbouze qui vous soit agreable, esperant que me feres set honneur de me croyre et que pran- dres 1' affection telle coume elle est tres fidelle dans mon ame ; et que ne le galleres ase mauues disecours confus des pations meuves de tant de bans subges et dignes de randre la plus abondante plume empeschee en le lection de tant de rares et belles vertus ; qui fera pour ne tombe da- vantage en erreur que je vous sup- plie de croyre que en la seulle contan- plation de vous, Madame, coume de la plus perfete Deesse des siens je vous baysere tres humblement les mins. Priant Dieu, etc.' Alen9on to the Queen of England, January^ 1579 MSS. France. 2 Descifrada de Don Bernardino, January 15, 1579: MSS. Simancas.