Page:The Queens of England.djvu/213

 KATHERINE OF VALOIS. 179 feast, where she interceded with Henry for the liberation of the captive youthful monarch of Scotland, James the First, the author of the quaint ancient poem called "The Quair." The queen not only succeeded in her request, on condition that James should assist Henry in prosecuting the conquest of France, but obtained his bethrothal to the lady to whom he was passionately attached — Joanna Beaufort. After this ceremony King Henry made a progress to the principal towns of his realm, and explained to them with much eloquence what grand deeds he had performed through his prowess in France, and what yet remained to be done for the complete conquest of that kingdom, namely, the subjugation of his adversary the Dauphin of Vienne, only son to King Charles, and brother to Katherine, who styled himself heir to the crown, and regent of France, and kept possession of the greater part of the coun- try. To complete this conquest, he said, only two things were necessary — money and men ; and these requisites were so lib- erally granted, that he very soon collected larger sums than had ever before been seen, and they could scarcely be counted. At this time Katherine obtained a very fantastic addition to her society in London in the person of an errant damsel and princess ; for a quarrel having occurred between John Duke of Brabant and his duchess, Jacqueline of Bavaria, she left his palace. "The principal reasons for her so doing were com- monly reported to be, that she found him of poor understand- ing, and that he suffered himself to be governed by persons of low degree. The Duke of Burgundy, who was equally related to both, and her mother, the Countess of Hainault, vainly at- tempted to reconcile them. She declared that she would find means to effect a divorce, so that she might marry some person who would pay attention to her becoming her rank. The duchess was at this time in the flower of her youth, beautiful, well made, and as fully accomplished as any lady of her age. After- having resided with her mother for a short time, they pro- ceeded together to Valenciennes, where the duchess took leave of her, and went, as she said, to amuse herself in the town of Brabant ; but on the morrow she departed thence very early in the morning, and was met on the plain by the Lord d'Escaillan, a native of Hainault, but an Englishman in his heart. With him she had held many conferences while at Valenciennes, and he had promised to escort her to London, to seek redress from King Henry, and to concert with him as to the best means to be rid of