THE SUPPOSED NARRATORS OF THE HEPTAMERON TALES.
In her preface, Marguerite de Navarre says that unlike the Decameron, on which her work is modelled, the tales are based on actual events and real people. The names have been changed and so clues to whom the author was alluding must be gleaned from the stories themselves and in some cases the resemblance of the character's names to real life persons.
In his introductory essay to this translation of the Heptameron, Mr.
George Saintsbury has called attention to the researches of various
commentators who have laboured to identify the supposed narrators of
Queen Margaret's tales. As it may be fairly assumed that the setting
of the work is pure invention on the Queen's part, the researches in
question can scarcely serve any useful purpose. Still they appear to
have had considerable attraction for several erudite editors, whose
opinions, occasionally alluded to in our notes, we will here briefly
summarise for the information of those whom the matter may interest:—
OISILLE: The character of Oisille, a widowed lady is thought by some scholars of the Heptameron to be Louise of Savoy. In some manuscripts of the Heptameron, Oisill's name is spelled "Oysyle", which could be an anagram of Loyse, which was the old French spelling of Louise.
PARLAMENTE: Parlamente is the wife of Hircan. She is believed by some commentators to be the author herself. This belief is based largely on the fact that Parlamente's views in the Heptameron on subjects of religion, philosophy, men and women, are thought to be the same as Margueritte de Navarre's.
professed.
HIRCAN: Hircan is the husband of the character Parlamente. He is believed by some to refer to the author's real life first husband. However some critics identify the character of Hiracn with Henry d'Albret, King of Navarre. This belief is based on the fact that the name of Hircan may be derived from Ilanricus, an old way of spelling Henricus. It might, however, simply come from hircus, a he-goat, for Hircan is a man of gross, sensual tastes.
LONGARINE: The character of Longraine is a young widow. Some critics believe that she represents Blanche de
Chastillon, née de Tournon. However others think she is Aimée Motier de la Fayette, lady of
Longray, widow of Francis de Silly, Bailiff of Caen, and gouvernante
to Queen Margaret's daughter, Jane of Navarre. Longarine may also
be Aimée Motier de la Fayette's daughter Frances, married to Frederic
d'Almenesches, of one of the branches of the house of Foix.
SIMONTAULT: Simontault (sometimes occasionally spelled Symontaut in the book) is a young knight, thought to be Henry d'Albret, Margaret's second husband, who was of an
extremely amorous disposition, and much younger than the Queen.
Heptameron.
ENNASUITE: Ennasuite (occasionally spelled Ennasuitte or Ennasuicte, and in some manuscripts.
Emarsuite), is supposed to be Anne de Vivonne, wife of Francis de Bourdeilles and mother of
Brantôme. It is pointed out that the
name may be transformed into the three words Anne et suite.
DAGOUCIN: Dagoucin is a young gentleman who is thought by M. Frank to be Nicholas Dangu, who became Chancellor to the King of Navarre. Others believe that he is the Count d'Agoust.
GEBURON: The character of Geburon is an elderly gentleman in the Heptameron. He may represent
Seigneur de Burye, a captain of the Italian wars to whom Brantôme (his
cousin-german) alludes in his writings. The name of de Burye is also
found in a list of the personages present at Queen Margaret's funeral.
NOMERFIDE, so M. de Lincy suggests, may have been the famous Frances
de Foix, Countess of Chateaubriand; but M. Frank opines that she is a
Demoiselle de Fimarcon or Fiédmarcon (Lat. Feudimarco), who in
1525 married John de Montpczat, called "Captain Carbon," one of the
exquisites of the famous Field of the cloth of gold. Miss Robinson,
however, fancies that Nomerfide is Isabel d'Albret, sister of Margaret's
second husband, and wife of René de Rohan.
SAFFREDENT, so M. de Lincy thinks, may be Admiral de Bonnivet; M. Frank
suggests John de Montpezat; and Miss Robinson René de Rohan, who, after
his father Peter de Rohan-Gié (husband of Rolandine, see ante, vol.
iii., Tale XXI, notes 2 and 15), had been killed at Pavia, was for some
years entrusted to Queen Margaret's care. As Miss Robinson points out,
Saffredent literally means greedy tooth or sweet tooth.
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