Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/29

Rh 1562, after recanting his recantation, and declaring, that were his life spared, he would further the Protestant interest with more fervour than ever.

The faith and views of Jane were now decided and understood. She provided for the safety of her kingdom, she put her son under the care of a Huguenot professor, and adopted the most vigorous means to preserve her authority against the insurrections of her Catholic subjects, and the menaces of the court of Rome, before which, in 1563, she was in vain cited to appear.

She declared herself, in 1566, the protectress of the Protestants, and went to Rochelie, where she devoted her son to the defence of the reformed religion, and caused medals to be struck, with these words, a safe peace, a complete victory, a glorious death! She did every thing in her power for the advancement of the cause of religious liberty; and used to say, that liberty of conscience ought to be preferred before honours, dignities, and life itself! She caused the New Testament, the Catechism, and the Liturgy of Geneva, to be translated and printed at Rochelle. She abolished popery, and established protestantism in her own dominions. In her leisure hours, she expressed her zeal by working tapestries with her own hands, in which she represented the monuments of that religious liberty she sought to establish. One suit consisted of twelve pieces: on each was represented some Scripture history of deliverance. Israel's coming out of Egypt; Joseph's release from prison, or something of the like kind. On the top of each were these words, Where the spirit is, there is liberty! and, in the comers, broken chains, fetters, and gibbets. They were worked in fashionable patterns; and dextrously directed the needles of the ladies to help forward the reformation. Brave and eloquent, Jane neglected nothing that heroism or prudence could dictate. Her jewels were mortgaged, without