Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/30

16 without reluctance, for the support of the troops; and a peace, very advantageous to the Protestants, was concluded in 1570.

The court of France then proposed a marriage between Charles the IXth's sister and the young prince, Henry, and pretended that they were going to war with Spain, the implacable enemy of Jane d'Albert. These measures were enforced with the appearance of so much sincerity, that the queen, who long continued doubtful and suspicious, at length yielded, and prepared for the journey to Paris, in May 1572. Her reception was kind and gracious in the extreme; but, after an illness of five days, she died on June 10th, 1572, thus escaping the impending horrors of St. Bartholomew, which proved fatal to many of her best friends. At first, she was thought to have been poisoned; but on opening her body, nothing was found to corroborate the suspicion.

This princess left many writings, both in prose and verse. The greatness of her mind and talents have been acknowledged even by her enemies; and the Protestant religion has seldom had so firm and conscientious a friend. The character and fate of her son is well known. She left, likewise, a daughter, who inherited her mother's heart and talents, and continued faithful to the religion in which she had been instructed.

Jane d'Albert desired to be buried, without pomp, in the tomb of her father.

a noble family, the Frangipani, originally from Rome. Aldrude is celebrated for her magnanimity, wit, and politeness. Beautiful and majestic in her person, her mind seems