ETTERS FROM JEAN DE POITIERS TO DIANE AND LOUIS DE BREZE
TO DIANE:
Madame la Grant' Sénéchalle,
Since I wrote you last, am arrived at the Château de Loches, as evil-entreated as poor prisoner could be, and if God aids me not, thence I shall not budge for a long time, and inasmuch as all my hope is in your husband and in you, I beg him to kindly come and talk with me, if this is not possible for him, I beg you to kindly come, you could not do me greater pleasure, to come and see me, and together you and I will decide what you ought to say to Madame, and when you are in her presence, you will be able to ask leave from her to come and see me. I require of you, having so much pity of your father, as to kindly come to see him, and if it is possible to you, bring M. de Lisieux to whom I commend me, and to his good grace. My heart breaks that I can send you nought else save that I pray God he give you your desire.
At Loches this nineteenth of September [1523]. Your good father POITIERS
TO LOUIS:
Monsieur my son,
I think that you are sufficiently acknown of my estate, that the King hath had me taken for no cause, I swear it upon my soul's damnation, wherea the Constable that gone, and hath had me brough hither to the Château de Loches, as a false traitor, which to me is so very horrible grief that I die of it. I pray God that he will grant me good patience, and to the King knowledge of the shame he does me. Since he so pleaseth, reason will have me take patience; and since you are the person in the world that I love the most, and in whom I have confidence, I have desired to let you know of my wretched state, to the end that you may have pity of me, and may desire to bring me from the plight in which I am, and if it were possible, to be able to come and speak with me, that you and I might contrive what should be done. I am afeared that you may not be able to come hither, and if you cannot, I require of you, for God's honour, that you send your wife, she will be able to go to Blois and ask Madame for leave to come and see me, without telling her aught, and she and I will devise what she shall say to Madame, on my affair, as you well know how, and I require of you to make M. de Lisieux come. My heart is so wrung that it kills me, for that I know that I must ask you. I beseech you have pity on me. They tell me that the confiscation of my goods to the king is demanded; you shall take thought for this, for it touches you, they are our good friends. I beseech you, make haste to let me hear of you. I pray God, monsieur my son, to give you your desire.
At Loches this nineteenth of September [1523]. POITIERS
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