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known by the part she took in a famous literary dispute, occasioned by the censure which a learned, but severe critic, Castelvetro, passed upon an ode of Annibal Caro, which called forth defences from the admirers of the latter, and created much public animosity disgraceful to both parties. Esteeming equally these two great men, Lucia interfered to appease their quarrel, and wrote to the poet to engage him to withdraw some malicious writings of his friends; but he pretended to be too deeply offended to put an end to the dispute; and, collecting them together, printed them again, with the letters of the fair mediator, and his answers. F. C.

of the wisest and most powerful of the Saxon princes, but a pagan. It was expressly stipulated on the marriage, that Bertha, who was a Christian, should profess her own religion unmolested. Listening to the doctrines of her faith, Ethelbert became a convert to it in 597. BERTHA,