Memoires,
Lettre de la D[uche]sse de B[e]aufort au Roy H. 4
14.4
Je meurs de peur, assurez moy en me disant come se porte le plus brave du monde; je crains que son mal ne soit grand, puisque autre chose ne me devróit priver de sa presence. dis m’en des nouvelles, mon Cavalier, puis que tu sçais combien le moindre de tes maux m’est mortel. Combien que par deux fois j’aye sçeu de v[otr]re état aujourdhuy, je ne sçaurois dormir sans vous envoyer mille bonsoirs; car je ne suis pas doüée d’une ladre constance: je suis la Princesse Constance et sensible pour tout ce qui vous touche et insensible a tout ce qui reste au monde, bien ou mal.[1]
Editor’s Translation: I die of fear, [were you to] stop me by telling me how the most courageous man in the world comports himself, I believe that the evil he faces is not great, since anything else would not tear me from his presence. Tell me about it, my Knight, because you know how much the least of your woes is fatal to me, so much that hearing twice of your condition today, I could not sleep without sending you a thousand goodnights; because I am not endowed with a meagre constancy: I am a constant and tender Princess in everything that concerns you and impervious to all the rest of the world, good or bad. [2]
Folio 219 verso
If Monsieur Rhodes his Play, wherin Lodivico and Otrantes loves are the great Intrigue (for I remember not what he calls it) be not much corrected and better the yeare 1665 than it was 1664, when he was pleased himselfe to Entertaine me with the reading therof; I am ith mind, it will not much please profomers of honest and gentile conversation. I am sure they had rather one should entertain them with the discription of a well furnished Parlour than \to [[visit]]/[3]a Coale-hole.* Tis to bring upon the Stage what we would \not/ore should \see/in our houses. A piss pot a brime
[1] In modern French: Je meurs de peur, assurez-moi, je vous supplie, en me disant comme se porte le plus brave du monde. Je crains que son mal ne soit grand, puisque autre cause ne me devait priver de sa présence aujourd’hui. Dis-moi des nouvelles, mon cavalier, puisque tu sais combien le moindre de ses maux m’est mortel. Combien que par deux fois j’ai su de votre état, aujourd’hui je ne saurai dormir sans vous envoyer mille bonsoirs, car je ne suis pas douée d’une sensible constance. Je suis la princesse Constance et sensible pour tout ce qui vous touche, et insensible à tout ce qui reste au monde, soit bien ou mal.
[2] A letter from Gabrielle d’Estreés to Henry IV, written in mid-October 1592. See Lettres intimes de Henri IV, p. 172. This letter was probably written on the occasion of Henry IV becoming ill with fever upon his arrival in Saint Denis on 13 October 1592.
[3] At this point there are three lines of crossed out sentences.