CASTLE OF AMBOISE. 7 



flourished so highly iu that age, but his raslmess and 

 want of caution gave his wily and formidable enemy, 

 Charles V. Emperor of Germany, a great advantage 

 over him, and in the battle of Pavia he was made 

 prisoner, and suffered a long and rigorous confinement 

 in Spain. 



This chateau is connected Avith the romantic stor}^ of 

 the beautiful Countess of Chateaubriand, whose husband 

 being fully aware of the amorous disposition of Francis 

 I., had adopted, as he conceived, secure means to pre- 

 vent her coming to the com-t during his residence there. 

 To accomplish this, on leaving his young countess at his 

 chateau in Brittany, he showed her a ring, and desired 

 her not to come to the court unless it was enclosed in a 

 letter. The fame of her beauty having reached the ears 

 of the king, he was very anxious to see her at Amboise, 

 and expressed his mshes in strong terms to the count, 

 who replied that the countess had remained in Brittany 

 at her own desire, being fond of a rural and retired life, 

 and that although he had repeatedly written to her to 

 come, she always refused. The count having impru- 

 dently entrusted the secret of the ring to a confidential 

 servant, through his treachery it was disclosed to some 

 of the courtiers, who bribed him to steal the ring ; they 

 had one made exactly like it, and sent it in a letter to 

 the countess, who very soon made her appearance at 

 the court, and became a victim to the passion which 

 was quickly excited by her personal charms in the 

 breast of Francis. The husband retired in despair to the 

 chateau in Brittany. 



It was in this castle that Charles VIII. King of 

 France, met with his death by an accident. He was 

 leading his young queen, Anne Duchess of Bourbon, 



