This section is from "The American Cyclopaedia", by George Ripley And Charles A. Dana. Also available from Amazon: The New American Cyclopędia. 16 volumes complete..
Chastelard, Or Chatelar, Pierre De Boscobol De, a French poet born about 1540, died in 1563. He was a nephew on his mother's side of the chevalier Bayard. He was handsome, young, a distinguished performer in the tilt yard, famous for his skill with the sword, an excellent dancer, a delicate musician, and a poet of some note in the French court during Mary Stuart's residence in that country, He was one of the French gentlemen who, as attaches of Marshal Damville's household, accompanied her on her return to her native land, and fell in love with her. He dedicated a poem to her, which, according to Brantome, was answered by Mary, who also allowed him to accompany her on the flute when she sang, had frequent interviews with him, and, as Knox says, was so familiar with him, early and late, "that scarcely could any of the nobility have access to her." Whether warranted or not, the poet thought his addresses were encouraged by the queen, and concealed himself in her bedroom on the night of Feb. 12, 1563. He was discovered and ejected, and the queen, as soon as she heard of the occurrence, ordered him with a sharp reprimand to quit her court.
Chastelard, however, four days later again concealed himself within a recess in her bedchamber at Burnt Island, where the queen stopped to spend the night on her way to Dunfermline and St. Andrews; and while her women were undressing her, he rushed out before them all and attempted, it is said, to plead for pardon. The screams of the queen and the ladies brought Murray, whom she conjured, in the first transports of fear and indignation, to "put his dagger into the villain." Murray, however, reminded his sister that he should be dealt with according to the laws of the realm, He was accordingly brought publicly to trial at St. Andrews, sentenced to death, and executed; the queen remaining inac-cessiUc to all appeals for mercy. On mounting the scaffold he recited Ronsard's hymn of death, and as he was about to die he cried aloud, "Adieu, most lovely and cruel of princesses!" The most detailed relation of the tragic story is to be found in the writings of John Knox.
 
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