Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/335

Rh her father. A man who had affronted her by a refusal, and who was guilty of such an act of perfidy, could not inspire any prepossession in his favour; yet she soon sincerely loved him, and her beauty and amiable qualities secured all his affection.

On the death of her father and accession of Francis II. the influence of the Guises prevailed; they were enemies of the house of her husband, who was afterwards recalled from England, by the execrable Catherine de Medicis, to be one of the victims on the day of Saint Bartholomew. Diana, however, on the watch, and fearful for the safety of one so dear, prevailed upon him to retire to Chantilly the evening before that horrible day. On the death of Charles IX. the queen began to fear the loss of her authority, and sought to secure the person of the duke before the return of Henry III. from Poland. She recalled him to court: Diana besought him not to go; recapitulated the reasons she had to fear and guard against her insidious policy; but he was not to be persuaded; he went, and was instantly sent to the Bastille; from whence it was long before he was delivered. He died in 1579, and his loss was deeply lamented by Diana, to whom he had been married two and twenty years, and who afterwards attached herself to the interests of Henry III. during all his misfortunes; making many journies to secure peace to the state. It was she, who, after the death of the duke of Guise, negotiated the peace between him and the king of Navarre. This prince, always duped by the French court, and always upon his guard, had so much confidence in her good faith, that he said: "Madam, if you give me your word that they will act sincerely with me, all stipulations are useless. I would sooner believe you than a thousand bonds." The