Catherine De Medici

The words "Madame la Royne-mere" had been lately added. The gilding was fresh. This additionshowed the recent changes produced by the sudden and violent death of Henri II., whichoverturned many fortunes at court and began that of the Guises.The back-shop opened on the river. In this room usually sat the respectable proprietor himselfand Mademoiselle Lecamus. In those days the wife of a man who was not noble had no right to thetitle of dame, "madame"; but the wives of the burghers of Paris w...