_To the most Illustrious and Virtuous Princess_, Madame Jane de Foix,Queen of Navarre,
Claud Gruget, her very humble servant, presents salutation and wishes offelicity. (1)
I would not have interfered, Madam, to present you with this book ofthe Tales of the late Queen, your mother, if the first edition had notomitted or concealed her name, and almost entirely changed its form, tosuch a point that many did not recognise it; on which account, torender it worthy of its author, I, as soon as it was divulged, gatheredtogether from all sides the copies I could collect of it written byhand, verifying them by my copy, and acting in such wise that I arrangedthe book in the real order in which she had drawn it up. Then, with thepermission of the King and your consent, it was sent to the press to bepublished such as it should be.
Concerning it, I am reminded of what Count Balthazar says of Boccaccioin the Preface to his _Courtier_(2) that what he had done by way ofpastime, namely, his _Decameron_, had brought him more honour than allhis other works in Latin or Tuscan, which he esteemed the most serious.
1 This preface was inserted in the edition issued in 1559 by Claud Gruget, who gave the title of "_Heptameron_" to Queen Margaret's tales.
2 The _Libro del Cortegiano_, by Count Baldassare Castiglione, was the nobleman's _vade-mecum_ of the period. First published at Venice in 1528, it was translated into French in 1537 by J. Colin, secretary to Francis I.--Ed.
Thus, the Queen, that true ornament of our century, from whom you donot derogate in the love and knowledge of good letters, whileamusing herself with the acts of human life, has left such beauteousinstructions that there is no one who does not find matter of eruditionin them; and, indeed, according to all good judgment, she has surpassedBoccaccio in the beautiful Discourses which she composes upon eachof her tales. For which she deserves praise, not only over the mostexcellent ladies, but also among the most learned men; for of the threestyles of oration described by Cicero, she has chosen the simple one,similar to that of Terence in Latin, which to every one seems very easyto imitate, though it is anything but that to him who tries it.
It is true that such a present will not be new to you, and that you willonly recognise in it the maternal inheritance. However, I feel assuredthat you will receive it favourably, at seeing it, in this secondimpression, restored to its original state, for according to what I haveheard the first displeased you. Not that he who put his hand to it wasnot a learned man, or did not take trouble; indeed it is easy tobelieve that he was not minded to disguise it thus, without some reasonnevertheless his work has proved unpleasing.
I present it to you then, Madam, not that I pretend to any share init, but only as having unmasked it to restore it to you in its naturalstate. It is for Your Royal Greatness to favour it since it proceedsfrom your illustrious House, whereof it bears the mark upon the front,which will serve it as a safe-conduct throughout the world and render itwelcome among good company.
As for myself, recognising the honour that you will do me in receivingfrom my hand the work thus restored to its right state, I shall everfeel obliged to render you most humble duty.
THE HEPTAMERON.
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[Prologue: The Story-tellers in the Meadow near The Gave.]