Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/517

Rh tinico, where she found her husband ruined by gaming. In the year 1646 he died, leaving his wife in the utmost distress, who returned to France, with her debts unpaid, and her daughter as a pledge in the hands of one of her principal creditors, who, however, soon sent her into France after her mother. Here, neglected by her mother, who was in no capacity to maintain her, she was again taken by Madame Villette to live with her; and the little Frances studied by every means in her power to render herself agreeable to a person on whom she was to depend for every thing; made it her business to insinuate herself also into the affections of her cousin, with whom she had one common nurse; and expressed a great desire to be instructed in the religion of her ancestors, so that in a short time she became firmly attached to the protestant religion. In the mean time, Madame de Neuillant, a relation by the mother's side, and a catholic, had been very assiduous in informing some considerable persons of the danger she was in, and even procured an order from court to take her out of the hands of Madame Villette, in order to be instructed in the Roman catholic religion. She took her to herself, and made a convert of her; but not without great difficulty, artifice, and severity, which at length enforced her compliance.

In 1651, Madame de Neuillant being obliged to go to Paris, took her niece along with her, and there she endured all the miseries of dependance. Her beauty and fine understanding being much admired, she delighted to humble her by representing her to her friends as an object of pity. In the mean time her mother came to Paris on a law-suit, and died with grief at its unhappy termination, as it ruined the future prospects of her children. Mademoiselle bigné