Stoics and Saints - College of Stoic Philosophers

254 ST. LOUIS.
by committing a mortal sin, she would rather let me die
than utterly offend my Creator. It is notable that Queen
Blanche called the people to the coronation of her son, as
well as the barons and clergy, and once when there was a
plot
of the barons to seize him, Blanche summoned the burgesses
of Paris and the people of the country round, who responded
in such overwhelming numbers that the great vassals were
foiled and withdrew. While young, his mother married
him to Margaret, daughter
of the Count of Provence. But
like many another strong-minded mother-in-law, she could
not bear the young people to be much together,
and made
Margaret s life very miserable. Margaret made him a
devoted wife, and St. Louis loved her tenderly, but it is
characteristic of his strong good sense and clear sight, that
he marked in her an ambitious temper
and a want of
political wisdom, and would never during his absences leave
the realm in her charge ;
whereas his mother while she
lived was regent as matter of course. But poor Louis and
Margaret had to meet almost by stealth. Joinville says that
when they stayed at Pontoise, Margaret s apartments were
on the floor below his own, and there was a winding stair
between them on which the pair used to sit and converse,
while her attendants and his watched at the doors lest this
terrible mother-in-law should draw near, in which case they
would fly
to their own rooms.
Louis sense of justice with regard to all matters but
heresy seems to have been perfect. A charter was brought
to him by the heir of the late Countess of Boulogne promising
him the County of Dammartin. The seal was almost effaced.
His whole council assured him that he could not be bound
by it. There was just a little portion of the seal visible.
He sent for a document sealed with the seal which he
used when he gave the charter. He compared them minutely,
determined that the seals were the same, and said, I cannot